The Kremlin has decried US President, Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike inside.
The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had long pushed for authorisation from Washington to use the powerful Army Tactical Missile System, known by its initials Atacms, to hit targets inside Russia.
Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters, “It is clear that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps to continue to add fuel to the fire and to further inflame tensions around this conflict.”
Speaking at his regular daily press briefing, Peskov said that there was no change in position from what Vladimir Putin had said in September.
Putin said on September 12, 2024, that western approval for such a step would mean “the direct involvement of NATO countries, the United States and European countries in the war in Ukraine” because NATO military infrastructure and personnel would have to be involved in the targeting and firing of the missiles.
In response to a question, Peskov said that Russia was only aware of the apparent decision by the Joe Biden administration from reporting in western media.
Asked about recent overtures towards peace by Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Peskov said that any so-called “freezing” of the conflict along the existing frontline was unacceptable for the Russian Federation.
Asked if Putin and Erdogan had discussed such plans, Peskov denied it.
“No, they have not discussed this. We have noted these publications, but at this point, we have no information on the matter and do not know what they might be referring to.”
Dmitry Peskov
Russian Officials React To Biden’s Decision
Similarly, Russian officials pledged that Moscow would react to President Biden’s decision, though they did not elaborate on what that response might entail.
Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of Russia’s ultranationalist Liberal Democratic party of Russia, said that the US was now directly participating in the military conflict in Ukraine. “This will inevitably entail the toughest response from Russia, based on the threats that will be posed to our country,” he added.
There were more Russian threats issued on state media, with the prominent Propagandist, Dmitry Kiselyov saying that the west was directly entering the war “with all the ensuing consequences for their own territories and those inhabiting them.” “The response could be anything. Anything,” Kiselyov said.
Also, Russian lawmaker, Maria Butina said that the US was risking a third world war and expressed hopes that the President-elect, Donald Trump, would reverse the decision.
“These guys, Biden’s administration, is trying to escalate the situation to the maximum while they still have power and are still in office.
“I have a great hope that Trump will overcome this decision if this has been made because they are seriously risking the start of World War Three which is not in anybody’s interest.”
Maria Butina
The Kremlin-friendly Rossiyskaya Gazeta wrote that Ukraine’s ability to strike inside Russia with western weapons would “create additional challenges for our military” but added that the decision would not “change the course of war.”
The outlet said that one of the ways Russia might respond was to provide weapons for Yemen’s Houthi rebels to target US ships in the Red Sea.
The US decision is being justified by the presence of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine.
Though there was no public comment from the White House, the story first appeared in coordinated briefings to the New York Times, the Washington Post and the news agencies Reuters and Associated Press.
Their use will be limited to the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion into Russia in the summer.
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