Kremlin Warns of Escalation if US Allows Ukraine’s Use of Long-Range Missiles

Reports that the United States authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russian targets have elicited a sharp reaction from the Kremlin, heightening tensions in an already volatile conflict.

Russian officials have accused Washington of escalating the war and directly involving itself in the Ukraine conflict. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesperson, warned that if the reports are accurate, this marks a new phase of escalation between Russia and the US-led NATO alliance.

“If such a decision has indeed been formulated and communicated to the Kyiv regime, then, of course, this is a qualitatively new round of escalation of tensions, and a qualitatively new situation in terms of the involvement of the United States in this conflict,” TASS quoted Peskov as saying at a press briefing on Monday.

The Kremlin so far only has information from the Western media, he added.

The reports by The New York Times and Reuters allege that President Joe Biden's administration has given Ukraine permission to use Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike the Russian territory, with specific mention of targets in the Kursk region. However, there has been no official confirmation from Washington.

The move is seen as a major shift in US policy. For months, the Biden administration has supported Ukraine with weapons and financial aid but has refrained from approving actions that might risk a direct confrontation with Russia.

Meanwhile, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) released a report listing potential Russian targets within the ATACMS range of 300 kilometers. According to ISW, there are at least 245 military and paramilitary objects in range, including airfields and supply depots.

Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian parliamentary International Affairs Committee, harshly criticized the western move. 

“Biden, apparently, decided to end his presidential term and go down in history as ‘Bloody Joe,’” Slutsky told Russian news agency RIA Novosti. “If the publication’s sources’ data is confirmed, it will mean only one thing – direct US participation in the military conflict in Ukraine, which will inevitably entail the harshest response from Russia, based on the threats that will be created for our country.”

Ukraine has long sought permission to use ATACMS missiles for strikes within Russian territory, claiming it needs the capability to counter Russia’s air superiority and supply lines. However, Washington has focused on avoiding an escalation that could spiral into a broader NATO-Russia confrontation.

Amid these developments, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning to the West, stating that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied long-range missiles to strike Russian territory would lead to direct conflict between NATO and Russia. 

Moscow has repeatedly condemned the Western military aid, arguing it worsens the conflict and heightens the risk of NATO’s involvement. Russia has also accused the West of fuelling the conflict through NATO expansion and the deployment of weapon systems near its borders.