Pentagon spokesman John Kirby emotionally condemned Vladimir Putin’s “depravity” in Ukraine on Friday and was on the verge of tears as he described the horror of viewing images from the war-torn country.
Kirby has received rave reviews for his unflappable demeanor and wry sense of humor at briefings, breaking dark news with minimal fuss.
But on Friday, the toll of 65 days of war in Ukraine caught up with him when asked about President Putin’s state of mind.
“I will not go into Vladimir Putin’s psychology,” he began.
“It’s hard to look at what he’s doing in Ukraine, what his military forces are doing in Ukraine, and to think that any ethical, moral person could justify that.
“It’s difficult to look at…”
He fell silent, obviously choking and struggling to regain his composure.
After a few seconds, he resumed his train of thought and delivered one of his strongest condemnations of the Russian president yet.
“Sorry,” he said.
“It’s difficult to look at some of the images and imagine that any thoughtful, serious, mature leader would do that.
“So I can’t talk to his psychology. But I think we can all talk about his depravity.’
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby choked during a Friday briefing when asked about Vladimir Putin’s mental state while he was waging war in Ukraine
The world is outraged at the way civilian targets have been hit in Russian attacks and the International Criminal Court has launched a war crimes investigation
Earlier, the retired rear admiral announced that the US had begun training Ukrainian soldiers on key weapon systems at bases in Germany.
The US and its partners are throwing arms in a race against time before Russia launches its all-out assault on Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbass region.
US officials – including Kirby – have already accused Russian forces of war crimes.
After his emotional words, he was asked why he used the term “depravity” and what drove him to such strong condemnation.
“I cannot speak for the entire US government. I speak for the Department of Defense and didn’t want to get emotional,” he said.
‘I apologize for that. I don’t want to do this about me.
“But I’ve been in the military a long time and I know friends who didn’t make it back. It’s just hard.’
He then listed Russian actions in Ukraine, including the killing of civilians, and asked how this related to Putin’s war goals. His tearful moment gave way to angry outrage.
The worst atrocities were reported in Bucha, which was occupied by Russian troops trying to advance to Kyiv. But they backed out earlier this month, leaving bodies on the streets, and investigators have reported finding mass graves
An aerial view of officials continues to exhume the bodies of civilians who died during Russian attacks in Bucha earlier this month
“And it’s hard to reconcile his – let’s just call it that – BS that this is about Nazism in Ukraine, and it’s about protecting Russians in Ukraine, and it’s about protecting the national Defending Russian interests when none of them… None of them were threatened by Ukraine,” he said, banging the lectern to show his anger.
“It’s hard to reconcile that rhetoric with what he’s actually doing in Ukraine with innocent people being shot in the back of the head with their hands tied behind their backs.
“Women, pregnant women are being killed, hospitals are being bombed.
“I mean, it’s just ruthless. And I don’t know, I don’t have the mental capacity to understand how you connect those two things. It’s just beyond me.’
The International Criminal Court and at least nine countries have launched investigations into war crimes.
After the departure of Kremlin troops in early April, some of the worst atrocities were recorded around Kyiv. Investigators have described evidence of torture and mutilation on bodies left in the streets of Bucha and have uncovered mass graves.
The body of a civilian with his hands tied behind his back lies on the street while a municipal worker prepares a plastic body bag to carry it
“I don’t think we fully appreciate the extent to which he treated this kind of violence and cruelty and, as I said, depravity to innocent people, to non-combatants to civilians, with such utter disregard for the lives he took and really appreciated it. ‘ Kirby said.
“I mean, there isn’t even an attempt by Russia to aim precisely.”
Even if one could justify the war, he continued, it was impossible to justify the war being waged.
“It’s just… it’s brutality of the coldest and most depraved kind.” he said.
Earlier, news emerged about recent arms shipments to Ukraine.
More than a dozen flights will depart the continental US over the next 24 hours, carrying weapons destined for Ukraine’s armed forces, including more howitzers and the first of the new Phoenix Ghost drones.
A senior defense official told reporters that the new, secretive drones will join 100 switchblades — kamikaze drones with warheads — that have already been shipped.
It comes as Russia smashed targets across Ukraine on Thursday, hitting high-rise buildings in Kyiv, just as the capital was beginning to return to normal.
And the Pentagon said it had begun training some Ukrainian forces on bases in Germany on key weapon systems.
US officials have indicated that they must face a race against time to supply arms to Ukrainian forces as they engage in bitter fighting in the eastern Donbass region.
Last week, President Joe Biden announced he would give them a new weapon – previously classified Phoenix Ghost drones specifically tailored for the conflict.
A graveyard in Irpin where three dug graves await burials after a series of attacks
Very little is known about the new Phoenix Ghost Drones, other than that they operate similarly to the Switchblade Killer Drones shown here, which dash into their targets
A senior defense official said Friday that more than a dozen flights – including the first batch of Phoenix Ghosts – would be carrying weapons from the US to Europe over the next 24 hours
Kirby said Putin’s stated war goal of protecting the Russians in Ukraine was bullshit and simply inconsistent with the way civilians had been killed, execution-style, in some cases
The US is trying to provide ammunition that can counteract Russian armor in the next phase of the war
“More than a dozen flights are expected from the continental United States in the next 24 hours, and that includes howitzers, more 155 rounds, some of those Phoenix ghost UAVs, and even some of the radars we talked about,” a defense officer.
Little is known about the unmanned aerial vehicle or drone.
It is manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace. However, the company is known for modifying drones and offering flight training, suggesting the Phoenix Ghost could be based on a commercially available aircraft.
The company did not respond to a request for more information.
However, US officials have previously described it as a “disposable drone” that “delivers a punch”, leading analysts say it could function like a switchblade, capable of loitering over a target before crashing into it with an explosive payload.
The official said training of Ukrainian troops in the new weapon has not yet started.
“We believe the first tranche of these drones should arrive in the region today, but not all 121. The first tranche of them will arrive in the region today,” the official said at Friday’s briefing.
“And again, we’re still working on how to do the specific training on that. We believe that for pilots who already have UAV knowledge, the training will not take very long.’