Pentagon denies helping Ukraine 'target' Russian Generals

Pentagon on Thursday (May 5) denied providing intelligence on Russian generals' location on the battlefield to help Ukraine kill them. Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby said that the US provided military intelligence to Ukraine "to help Ukrainians defend their country". He was reacting to an explosive New York Times report.

US media reported later on Thursday that the US had helped Ukraine sink Russian warship Moskva by providing intelligence.

AFP quoted an unnamed US official who said that the US does not "provide specific targeting information on ships." 

The story about Moskva was first published by NBC. The story said that Ukraine had asked the US about a ship sailing in Black Sea. The US then helped confirm location of the ship and identified that the ship is Moskva.

However, the United States did not know that Ukraine would target the flagship vessel, the officials cited by NBC said.

Ukraine has been particularly successful in attacking Russian command positions, and, according to reports, came close last week to striking a location near the front lines in the Donbas region where Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov, was believed to be visiting troops.

Ukraine forces may have shelled the location just a few hours after Gerasimov had left, the unconfirmed reports said.

The New York Times article said that Ukraine had killed "many" of about dozen dead Russian generals with the help of US intelligence.