Moscow Issues Long-Range Missiles Warning to West

Monday evening’s 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 Moscow’s pre-2014 borders.

Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the ministry, said any such move would “radically change the essence and nature of the conflict.”

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.

When asked about the reports on Monday, Zakharova noted that they have not been confirmed by Washington.

Zakharova further emphasized: “Kiev’s use of long-range missiles to attack our territory will mean the direct participation of the United States and its satellites in hostilities against Russia. In this case, Russia’s response will be adequate and tangible.”

Zakharova’s comments follow a report in The New York Times on Sunday that suggested Biden had greenlit Ukraine’s use of the long-range missiles to target Russian forces defending Kursk Region, allegedly alongside North Korean troops.

Neither Russia nor North Korea have either confirmed or denied the reported deployment.

While the White House has made no official statements on the matter, the very possibility of such a policy shift has elicited a strong reaction from Moscow.