Russian President Says Ukraine's Use Of Long-Range Missiles Would Signal That US And NATO 'Are At War With Russia'

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, issued a stern warning to the West on Thursday, stating that the use of Western-made long-range missiles by Ukraine against Russia could lead to a direct military confrontation between Russia and the West.

What Happened: Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has been lobbying for Western allies to permit Ukraine to deploy U.S. ATACMS and British Storm Shadows missiles against Russia, in a bid to limit Moscow’s attack capabilities, Reuters reported on Friday.

Putin argued that such an action would directly implicate the countries providing these missiles to Ukraine in the ongoing conflict, as the programming of the missiles’ flight paths and satellite targeting data would necessitate the involvement of NATO military personnel.

“This will mean that NATO countries, the U.S. and European countries are at war with Russia,” Putin said, as reported by NBC.

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Russia, the world’s largest nuclear power, is currently revising its nuclear doctrine and considering curbs on major commodity exports. It is also conducting major naval exercises with China. The West is deliberating whether to allow Ukraine to use its long-range weapons against Russia in response to what it perceives as an escalation of the war by Moscow.

Why It Matters: Putin’s remarks point to a potential escalation in the conflict, with the implication that the participation of NATO countries in the war could drastically alter the conflict’s dynamics. He did not elaborate on what actions Russia might take in response, but he has previously alluded to the possibility of arming the West’s adversaries with Russian weapons to target Western interests.

Earlier in June, President Joe Biden had eased restrictions that prevented Ukraine's military from sending U.S.-provided munitions into Russia in an effort to prevent further escalation of the war.

Moreover, a leading Russian foreign policy hawk, Sergei Karaganov, recently advocated for a more aggressive nuclear stance in response to Western support for Ukraine, suggesting that Russia should openly express its readiness to use nuclear weapons against countries supporting NATO aggression in Ukraine.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari