Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has reacted to a potential change in the βessence of the conflictβ
Moscow has issued a stark warning to the United States and its allies, stating that any use of long-range missiles by Kiev to strike deep inside Russian territory would signify the βdirect participationβ of the Western powers in the conflict.
Monday eveningβs statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry comes amid unconfirmed reports that US President Joe Biden has authorized Kiev to use American-supplied ATACMS missiles to target sites inside Moscowβs pre-2014 borders.
Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the ministry, said any such move would βradically change the essence and nature of the conflict.β
On Sunday, the New York Times reported that US President Joe Biden had given Ukraine permission to use ATACMS missiles against Russian territory. However, the White House has made no official statements.
Zakharova underscored the gravity of the potential escalation, warning that Moscow would not stand idly by: βIn this case, Russiaβs response will be adequate and tangible.β
18 Nov, 2024 Moscow issues long-range missiles warning to West https://t.co/TQsRhJaPHL Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has reacted to a potential change in the βessence of the conflictβ pic.twitter.com/gWsE2tjCBu
Ukrainian armed forces carried out their first strike in a border region within Russian territory with a ATACMS missile, RBC Ukraine reports, citing an official in the nationβs military.
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Russia reserves the right to retaliate with weapons of mass destruction against Kiev and key NATO facilities, wherever they may be located,β Medvedev said.
βThis would amount to World War III,β he added.
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Russiaβs updated nuclear policy states that any attack on it or its allies by a non-nuclear country, supported by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint attack.
Russiaβs updated nuclear policy states that any attack on it or its allies by a non-nuclear country, supported by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint attack.
