Our senior international correspondent,
Sam Kiley, has more for us.
He's joining us from the war
zone in eastern Ukraine. Sam.
I understand
you spoke to one of these
Russian fighters.
What did he tell you
Yes, Wolf,
we spoke to a significant group
of them, actually.
They conducted a very
spectacular raid.
Frankly,
these are
two groups of Russian nationals
fighting inside
the Ukrainian armed forces.
Now, rather controversially
in some quarters,
they crossed into Russia
at the beginning of this week, conducted
a number of raids
on a number of villages,
penetrated quite deeply into Russia.
I mean, relative
to a small group of people,
we're
guessing that
there were about 50 to 70 or
so to company strength.
And then we spoke to them
just after they came back.
This is what the leader
of one of the group said.
What do you hope
will be the effect of this raid
effect of Israel?
It was amazing.
It was information of shell
information, bomb
blowing about to this whole Internet,
blowing up the vehicles
that you took included
some of the American MRAPs.
Is that right that you were using?
We use tell they also we buy them in
international shops workshops.
Yeah.
So you bought these vehicles
on the open market? Yeah, of course.
Every everyone who had
some money can do it.
Now, these are soldiers
who are normally fighting
on the front lines.
They're part of the Ukrainian forces.
Some of them have very far right links,
but all of them
are dedicated
to overthrowing Vladimir Putin.
And I think
one of the key things about this
raid, Wolf, is all about
keeping the Russians
off-balance trying to provoke
responses from the Russians,
probe their weaknesses
ahead of what is developing
into a summer offensive
by the Ukrainians. Wolf.
All right.
Sam Kiley, stay safe over there.
Thank you very much.
Joining us now,
the National Security Council coordinator
for strategic communications, John Kirby.
John, thanks for joining us.
How do you respond to that
Russian fighter
telling CNN
they used american-made vehicles
they say bought on the open market
in their attack on Russia.
I certainly can't
confirm those reports, Wolf,
the day that he bought these things
on the open market.
What I can confirm
is that we've made it clear
to the Ukrainians
that we don't want to see us made U.S.
supplied equipment
used on Russian soil to attack Russia.
What we are
providing is a lot of equipment,
tools, training capabilities,
including weapons systems
to be used to defend Ukrainian soil.
And again, we've made that clear.
In fact,
we've we've had that discussion
with the Ukrainians
as recently over just the last day or so.
Interesting.
Sources tell CNN the U.S.
assesses right now
that a Ukrainian group,
a Ukrainian group, may have been behind
that drone attack on the Kremlin earlier
this month.
Is Ukraine ignoring U.S.
warnings
against attacking Russian territory?
We have again,
made it very clear to the Ukrainians
what our expectations are about.
About attacking Russia.
We don't want to encourage
or enable that.
We certainly don't want any U.S.
made equipment
used to attack Russian soil.
And we have gotten assurances
from the Ukrainians
that they will respect those wishes.
Now,
what groups are operating on their own
and whether or not
they are tied
to the Ukrainian government?
We just can't say
and we certainly can't confirm
the reports
in that New York Times piece
about that
particular attack on the Kremlin.
We have been very clear
that we want Ukraine to be able
to defend its own soil,
its own territory.
They have been attacked.
They have been invaded.
They have a right to defend themselves.
But we've also been clear, Wolf,
that we don't want to see this war
escalate beyond the devastation
and the violence
that it's already visited
on the Ukrainian people.
And I think we can all agree that a war
that still escalates
particularly involving more
than just Ukraine and Russia.
That would be bad
for not only the Ukrainian people,
but for the entire continent.
So what can you tell
us, John,
about these most recent conversations
the U.S.
had with the Ukrainians,
that conversation, conversations
you just mentioned?
Did you outline potential consequences?
It wasn't really about
outlining consequences.
It was simply a reaffirmation,
Wolf, of what we have said before,
that we just don't want to see U.S.
supplied equipment
used to attack Russian soil.
And, you know,
they recognize that they they
they they appreciate that
that there are concerns.
And again,
they've given us assurances that
that they won't do that.
The infamous
Wagner mercenary group
is handing control of back to regular
Russian troops.
Does that provide a window for Ukraine
in its expected counteroffensive?
Well, I want to be careful here
not to not to speak to future
operations for the Ukrainians.
I'll let them do that.
But as we've said all along,
even before the Russians claim
they had back moved that claim
that getting back mount
was going to be a little strategic value
to the Russians.
There's really no strategic value
on that front around Donbas.
It doesn't really give the Russians
much in terms of leeway
or more flexibility.
The Ukrainians will respond
and they'll respond appropriately.
They will conduct this counteroffensive
on their own terms.
You know,
when and where and how they strike.
They'll make those decisions.
What we're focused on is making sure
that as they make those decisions,
and as they conduct those operations,
they've got
all the tools and capabilities
and the training that they need.
And we have been in lockstep
with the Ukrainians
for months
now, making sure
that they have everything they need,
if and when they want to launch
a counteroffensive.
And that includes, Wolf,
you know, packages of security assistance
that just got announced
last week in Hiroshima.
And I fully anticipate you'll see
additional security
assistance packages
coming in the coming weeks and months.
John Kirby
joining us from the White House.
John, thank you.