Russia has accused the United States of direct involvement in the war in Ukraine for the first time. A spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry said intercepted communications show the United States is approving targets for U.S.-made HIMARS artillery used by Ukrainian forces. The spokesperson said, “It is the Biden administration that is directly responsible for all rocket attacks approved by Kyiv on residential areas and civilian infrastructure facilities in settlements of Donbas and other regions that caused mass deaths of civilians.” Russia had previously accused the United States of waging a proxy war in Ukraine.