 Putin says the U.S. has long been involved in the Ukraine conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Washington has long been involved in the Ukraine conflict, as well as in the processes in the entire post-Soviet region. Putin made remarks on Thursday, while responding to the reporter's question on whether the U.S. fully participates in the war in Ukraine. The U.S. has long been doing this. They have long been involved in the processes taking place in the Soviet and post-Soviet region. During Soviet times, entire institutions were working on Ukraine. Since the Soviet times, they have been laying the groundwork, Putin said. He blamed the U.S. for the war in Ukraine, saying Russia had no other choice but started its military operation in late February. He went on saying that the U.S. encouraged this unity between Russia and Ukraine that have shared roots and culture. In this sense, we have suffered fiasco, Putin said. If they had been leading us toward these events, then it can be said that they have succeeded. He stressed. Speaking about the U.S. supply of patriots to Ukraine, Putin said that this air defense system is quite old and does not work like Russia's S-300 system.