Kremlin Warns of Escalation if US Permits Kyiv to Strike Russia with Long-Range Missiles, Reports Reuters

By Dmitry Antonov and Andrew Osborn

MOSCOW – The Kremlin issued a warning to Western nations on Wednesday, stating that permitting Ukraine to launch strikes against Russia using long-range Western missiles would intensify the direct involvement of the U.S. and European nations in the ongoing conflict and provoke a response from Moscow.

This cautionary note was delivered as senior Ukrainian officials engaged with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Minister David Lammy during their visit to Kyiv. Ukrainian leaders urged the U.S. and the U.K. to supply long-range missiles like the ATACMS and Storm Shadow cruise missiles, enabling strikes on targets deep within Russian territory.

While the U.S. has previously hesitated to provide Ukraine with long-range weaponry due to fears of escalating the conflict, indications suggest a potential change in this position. President Joe Biden remarked on Tuesday that his administration was currently "working that out" in relation to lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s missile operations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed that Moscow suspects a decision has already been made by the U.S. to allow Ukraine to fire missiles into Russia and warned of a predetermined response in such an event. "Our response will be appropriate," Peskov stated, adding that the involvement of the U.S. and European countries in the Ukraine conflict is direct, with each new action increasing that involvement.

State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, warned that if Ukraine were to commence strikes on Russia using long-range missiles, Moscow would have to resort to "more powerful and destructive weapons" against Ukraine. He emphasized that Western nations were becoming parties to the war.

Sergei Ryabkov, a deputy foreign minister, voiced grave concerns over what Russia perceives as a potentially dangerous escalation. He stated that Russia would target any new delivery of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine and would ensure their destruction, recalling similar responses to previous U.S. arms deliveries to Ukraine. "The dangers and risks are growing," he stated.

The U.S. Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) can reach up to 190 miles (305 kilometers), while the British Storm Shadow missiles have an operational range of approximately 155 miles (249 kilometers). Although Ukraine has been using these missiles against Russian forces within territory acknowledged as Ukrainian, it wishes to extend their reach to facilities inside Russia itself.