US says Pakistan communicated of Washington's position on Russia

The US has said that it is certainly "aware' of Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Russia, saying that it was the responsibility of every country to "voice objection" to Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, held before the "military operation", State Department spokesperson Ned Price was asked about Pakistan PM's visit to Russia and whether the State Department had an assessment of his visit at a time when a war is imminent between Moscow and Ukraine. Later, Russia announced it has begun a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraine in what appeared to be the start of war in Europe over Russia's demands for an end to NATO's eastward expansion.

"Well, we’re certainly aware of the trip, and the points I made earlier about the PRC in some ways apply here. We believe it’s the responsibility of every responsible country around the world to voice concern, to voice objection to what Putin appears to have in mind for Ukraine," Price replied.

He added that the US has communicated to Pakistan its position regarding "Russia’s further renewed invasion of Ukraine, and we have briefed them on our efforts to pursue diplomacy over war".

His statement comes as PM Imran is also set to meet President Putin and discuss issues including economic cooperation. During the meeting, PM Imran will push for the construction of a long-delayed, multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline to be built in collaboration with Russian companies, an official had told Reuters.

PM Imran arrives in Russia on 'historic' visit

Meanwhile, Price said that the US has a longstanding partnership and cooperation with Pakistan and views its partnership "with a prosperous, with a democratic Pakistan as critical to US interests".

"And we certainly hope, when it comes to those shared interests – the aversion of a costly conflict, the aversion of a destabilizing conflict, that every country around the world would make that point clearly in unambiguous language in their engagements with the Russian Federation."

Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said on Thursday it had taken out military infrastructure at Ukraine's air bases and "suppressed" its air defences, Russian news agencies reported.

The ministry denied reports that its aircraft had been downed over Ukraine. Earlier, Ukraine's military had said five Russian planes and one helicopter were shot down over its Luhansk region.

The statement comes after Russian President Putin authorised a military operation in eastern Ukraine on Thursday in what appeared to be the start of war in Europe over Russia's demands for an end to NATO's eastward expansion.