Putin threatens war with NATO if Ukraine strikes deep into Russia

Karah Rucker

VLADIMIR PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA WOULD BE “AT WAR” WITH THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES IF THEY ALLOW UKRAINE TO USE LONG-RANGE WESTERN MISSILES TO STRIKE DEEP INSIDE THEIR COUNTRY.

PUTIN SAYING IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED “AN ACT OF WAR”.

THIS WARNING COMES JUST HOURS AHEAD OF A CRUCIAL MEETING IN WASHINGTON BETWEEN THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER AND U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN. 

THEIR DISCUSSION – REVOLVING AROUND JUST THAT –

WHETHER UKRAINE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE LONG-RANGE MISSILES TO STRIKE DEEPER INTO RUSSIA.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH REPORTERS THURSDAY – 

PUTIN EMPHASIZED THAT PERMITTING UKRAINE TO USE THESE ADVANCED WEAPONS MADE BY THE WEST –

WOULD IMPLY DIRECT **NATO INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONFLICT. 

PUTIN SAYING “We are talking about deciding whether NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict or not. This will mean that NATO countries, the U.S. and European countries are at war with Russia. And if this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us.”

PUTIN ADDED THAT UKRAINIAN FORCES LACK THE CAPABILITY TO OPERATE THESE MISSILES INDEPENDENTLY, RELYING INSTEAD ON NATO PERSONNEL FOR TARGETING AND SATELLITE DATA.

THE U.S. MILITARY ALREADY PROVIDES INTELLIGENCE TO UKRAINE AND HAS PREVIOUSLY ASSISTED IN THE TARGETING – BUT SAYS IT HAS NOT ASSISTED WITH ANY LONG-RANGE SYSTEMS CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED.

KREMLIN SPOKESMAN DMITRY PESKOV REINFORCED THE SERIOUSNESS OF PUTIN’S MESSAGE, STATING THAT IT WAS “EXTREMELY CLEAR, UNAMBIGUOUS AND DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ANY DOUBLE READINGS.”

THIS LATEST THREAT IS PART OF A BROADER KREMLIN STRATEGY THAT FRAMES THE CONFLICT AS A CLASH WITH THE WEST AND NATO.

THE SPECIFICS OF MOSCOW’S POTENTIAL COUNTERACTIONS REMAIN UNCERTAIN.

THIS ISN’T THE ONLY MAJOR ESCALATION WE’VE SEEN THIS WEEK.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN ANNOUNCED A FEW DAYS AGO THAT RUSSIA HAS RECEIVED NEW BALLISTIC MISSILES FROM IRAN, WHICH THE U.S. BELIEVES THEY COULD USE AGAINST UKRAINE.

RIGHT NOW –

WESTERN ALLIES ARE ONLY ALLOWING UKRAINE TO USE WESTERN-SUPPLIED LONG-RANGE WEAPONS TO TARGET AREAS ALONG THE RUSSIAN BORDER – NOT DEEP WITHIN THE COUNTRY – AND THEY CAN ONLY BE USED IN RETALIATION FOR RUSSIAN ATTACKS.

KYIV HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR A POLICY CHANGE TO ALLOW STRIKES ON DEEPER MILITARY TARGETS INSIDE RUSSIA –

AND THAT FIGHT TAKES CENTER STAGE IN WASHINGTON.

WHILE PRESIDENT BIDEN MEETS WITH THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TO DISCUSS THEIR OPTIONS.

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