World
Putin Says US Long-Range Missiles Hitting Russia an Act of War
Speaking in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a clear warning to the West: do not allow Ukraine to deploy its long-range missiles to hit Russian territory. Russia would interpret this as NATO’s’ direct participation in the conflict in Ukraine and an act of war.
“This would substantially change the very essence, the nature of the conflict,” Vladimir Putin continued.
“This will mean that NATO countries, and especially the USA and European states, are at war with Russia.”
He said that Ukraine would need data from US satellites to launch missiles into Russia, and that only personnel from NATO member nations and the US defence department would be able to “input flight missions into these missile systems”.
Russia has already drawn red lines with NATO on its border. I’ve seen them cross before these lines before.
On February 24, 2022, when he announced the launch of his “special military operation” – a full-scale invasion of Ukraine – President Putin issued a warning to “those who may be tempted to interfere from the outside”.
“No matter who tries to stand in our way or create threats for our country and our people, they must know that Russia will respond immediately,” Putin said. “The consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history.”
Vice President Harris – White House Image
The Biden-Harris administration has widely ignored what they largely perceive as nuclear sabre-rattling. The West has since supplied Ukraine with tanks, advanced missile systems, and, most recently, F-16 American fighter jets.
According to the BBC, Russia has already accused Ukraine of employing American long-range ATACMS missiles to target Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula that Russia has occupied.
The tone of Putin’s most recent words suggests that he believes that hitting Russian territory with Western missile systems will escalate the confrontation, possibly to WWIII.
What Putin did not specify yesterday was how Moscow would retaliate.
“We will take corresponding decisions based on the threats to us that will be created,” Putin told reporters.
On Friday, Russia expelled six British diplomats, accusing them of “subversive activities” and endangering Russian security.
During a meeting with the leaders of international news agencies, he was asked how Russia would react if Ukraine was given the opportunity to strike targets on Russian territory with weapons supplied by Europe.
“First, of course, we will upgrade our air defence systems. “We will destroy their missiles,” President Putin responded.
Russia Beefs Up Missile Defense – Getty Images
“Second, we believe that if someone is thinking it is possible to supply such weapons to a war zone to strike our territory and create problems for us, why can’t we supply our weapons of the same class to those regions around the world where they will target sensitive facilities of the countries that are doing this to Russia?”
In other words, Moscow has considered arming foes of the US to strike Western targets abroad.
Earlier this month, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, indicated that the country was planning to update its nuclear doctrine, which outlines the parameters under which Moscow may consider using nuclear weapons.
He claimed that the decision to alter the doctrine was “connected with the escalation course of [Russia’s] Western adversaries”.
