Russia has stated that if the United States permits Ukraine to launch US missiles into Russian territory, this would signify direct US involvement in the conflict, claiming that President Joe Biden’s administration is escalating the war.
For months, Russia has warned the West regarding its interpretation of such a decision, asserting that it would heighten the risk of confrontation with the US-led NATO alliance.
In response to inquiries about reports from the New York Times and Reuters indicating that Mr. Biden’s administration had authorized long-range strikes, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified that the reports lacked any official confirmation.
“If such a decision has indeed been made and communicated to the Kyiv regime, it would represent a qualitatively new phase of tension and a new situation concerning US involvement in this conflict,” Mr. Peskov remarked.
On September 12, Mr. Putin remarked that Western endorsement of such action would mean “the direct involvement of NATO countries, the United States, and European nations in the war in Ukraine,” given that NATO’s military infrastructure and personnel would need to partake in the targeting and launching of those missiles.
“It is clear that the outgoing administration in Washington aims to further exacerbate the situation and provoke additional tensions surrounding this conflict,” Mr. Peskov asserted.
Reuters reported the Biden administration’s decision yesterday, citing two US officials along with a source familiar with the situation. The New York Times also covered this development.
Both reports indicated that the action was, in part, a response to the reported arrival of North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region to assist in repelling a Ukrainian offensive.
Senior politicians in Russia have expressed their outrage regarding the reports.
A member of the Russian parliament, Maria Butina, claimed that the United States is jeopardizing the onset of World War III.
She expressed hope that Donald Trump would reverse the decision when he takes over from Mr. Biden in the New Year.
In late October, Mr. Putin stated that Russia’s defense ministry is exploring various responses if the United States and NATO allies aid Ukraine in striking deep within Russia using long-range Western missiles.
“I believe some individuals in the United States might have nothing to lose for various reasons or are so out of touch that they simply do not care,” said Ms. Butina, who served 15 months in a US prison for operating as an unregistered Russian agent and is now a member of the ruling United Russia party.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked that the long-range missiles would “speak for themselves.”
“Today, many media outlets are stating that we have received permission to take appropriate actions. However, strikes are not announced with words. Such actions are not publicized. The missiles will speak for themselves,” he said during his evening address yesterday.
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Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has shared his hope that EU members could agree to allow Ukraine to utilize arms to strike within Russia.
“I have repeatedly stated that Ukraine should be able to use the arms we have provided to them, not just to defend against attacks, but also to target the attackers,” Mr. Borrell mentioned ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
“I sincerely believe this is necessary. I’m confident we will discuss this again. I hope member states will reach an agreement on this matter.”
Separately, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un accused the US and the West of utilizing the Ukrainian military as “shock troops” against Russia, potentially igniting a global conflict, according to state media.
South Korea and the US have accused the nuclear-capable North Korea of deploying over 10,000 soldiers to assist Russia in its fight against Ukraine, with analysts suggesting Mr. Kim is eager for advanced Russian technology and combat experience for his own troops in return.
North Korea has dismissed the deployment claims, and Mr. Kim did not acknowledge it during a speech to battalion commanders, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency.
The US and its allies are using the situation in Ukraine to “broaden the spectrum of their military interventions globally,” Mr. Kim stated.
Read more: Latest Ukraine stories – US to allow Ukraine to fire its arms into Russia – officials
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Additionally, they are attempting to “enhance their combat experience, with Ukraine being harnessed as shock troops” against Russia, he asserted.
Washington’s “ongoing military support for Ukraine… raises concerns regarding World War III,” he warned.
Mr. Kim pledged that his nation would bolster its nuclear defense “without limits.”
His warning follows South Korea’s claim last week that North Korean forces have begun “engaging in combat operations” alongside Russian troops near the Ukrainian border.
Mr. Kim “likely anticipates the likelihood of further deployments to support Russia’s campaign in Ukraine,” stated Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
Last week, North Korea ratified a significant defense pact with Russia, formalizing months of increasing military collaboration between the two nations, which were Communist allies during the Cold War.
In exchange for sending troops, the West fears that Russia is providing North Korea with technological support that could further its nuclear weapons program.
The isolated state recently launched a series of ballistic missiles and tested a new solid-fuel ICBM.
The deployment of troops to Russia has prompted a shift in rhetoric from South Korea, which has traditionally resisted calls for lethal weapons provision to Kyiv but has recently suggested a possible change to its no-provision policy.
