The Kremlin has said that any decision by Western countries to allow Ukraine to use weapons they have supplied to strike further into Russian territory would be a “dangerous escalation.”

Use of the weapons is currently limited to strikes on Russian forces and positions that are launching attacks on Ukraine, but Ukrainian officials have repeatedly called for all limitations to be lifted.

Multiple world leaders, including NATO Chief, Jens Stoltenberg and French President, Emmanuel Macron, have said the restrictions should be relaxed.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, July 12, 2024, Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said, “What’s important is that these missiles are being used for attacks on our regions already,” referring to the four new Russian regions.

“As regards longer-range missiles, this is a pure provocation and a new, very dangerous round of escalation,” he emphasized.

“We kept a close eye on all the statements and information that came out of the NATO summit. And of course, this issue is very sensitive,” the Russian presidential Spokesman said.

“We can see the rhetoric from London and some other capitals which already see no restrictions regarding this. And we can see countries which try to maintain a balance saying they oppose easing the use of these long-range missiles.”
Dmitry Peskov

Also, Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov criticized NATO’s decision to continue military aid to Ukraine.

Antonov stated that reasonable thoughts on a diplomatic settlement of the situation in Ukraine were drowned out by Russophobic rhetoric at the NATO summit in Washington D.C.

“Peace in Ukraine is viewed through the prism of Russia’s strategic defeat. They want to portray us as the devil incarnate. It’s about time to stop building castles in the air and realize that the Russian Federation is here to stay. Nobody can conquer us,” the Russian diplomat said.

“Certain reasonable ideas at the summit toward the political and diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian conflict were muffled by Russophobic rhetoric. ‘Hawks’ have neither the desire, nor the apparent ability to listen to or hear out anyone else,” he added.

“NATO’s decision to continue flooding the Kiev regime with weapons against Russia and deploying US long-range systems in Europe underscores the validity of launching the special military operation.

“What our opponents are now doing, creating additional threats to Russia’s security, predetermines the necessary countermeasures we take in the military and technical sphere.”
Anatoly Antonov

Russian Casualties Rise To More Than 556,000

According to the Ukrainian military, the number of Russian casualties from the war in Ukraine now stands at 556,650.

The latest update from the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said the total figure had risen by 1,030 in the last 24 hours.

It also said the Russian forces had lost a total of 8,191 tanks, up by nine, and 15,755 armoured combat vehicles, up by 23.

According to the Ministry of Defence, Russia saw its average daily casualties reach their highest level since the start of the conflict in recent months.

“Ukrainian air defences shot down five cruise missiles and 11 drones overnight,” the commander of the country’s air forces said.

Writing on Telegram, Lt Gen Mykola Oleschuk said that the missiles were fired from the Saratov region of southern Russia and down over the Ukrainian regions of Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, and Cherkasy.

He added that 19 drones in total were fired and that 11 were shot down over Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Kherson, and Sumy.

He said the remaining eight drones were lost, but were probably only dummy drones intended to overload the air defences.

“Together to victory!” he said.