President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that Western countries could find themselves directly engaged in conflict with Russia if they allowed Ukraine to use Western-made long-range missiles to strike Russian territory. Such an action, he argued, would fundamentally change the nature and extent of the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly requested that Kyiv’s allies provide long-range missiles, like the US ATACMS and British Storm Shadows, to target deep within Russian borders and curtail Moscow’s ability to launch attacks.
In a notably firm statement, Putin explained that enabling Ukraine to use these weapons would essentially involve NATO countries directly in the war. He reasoned that satellite targeting and missile flight programming would require NATO military expertise, capabilities Ukraine lacks.
“This isn’t merely about Ukraine employing these weapons against Russia. It’s about whether NATO countries decide to engage directly in military conflict,” Putin stated during an interview with Russian state TV.
He outlined the grave implications of such involvement: “If this decision is taken, it represents direct participation by NATO, the United States, and European countries in the Ukraine war. This would significantly transform the conflict’s essence and nature.”
Putin hinted that Russia would respond decisively to new threats without detailing specific actions. However, he has previously mentioned options like arming Western adversaries with Russian weaponry and deploying missiles within reach of the US and Europe.
Read: Ukraine Downs 27 Russian Drones Amidst Ongoing Aerial Assaults
Amid these tensions, Russia is revising its nuclear doctrine, which may soon reflect a readiness to use nuclear weapons against nations supporting what it views as NATO aggression in Ukraine. Concurrently, Russia is engaging in major naval exercises with China and considering restrictions on significant commodity exports.
The West frames its deliberation on allowing Kyiv to deploy long-range weapons as a response to what it considers an escalation by Moscow, which allegedly includes receiving ballistic missiles from Iran—a claim Tehran dismisses as “ugly propaganda.”
The ongoing conflict, triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine involving tens of thousands of troops, marks the most severe standoff with the West since the Cold War. Putin portrays the conflict as a crucial struggle against a “decadent” West encroaching on Moscow’s sphere of influence post-Berlin Wall. Conversely, the West and Ukraine view the invasion as an imperialistic land grab, committing to defeating Russia militarily. Russia currently holds over 18% of Ukrainian territory.
