Russia has issued a stern warning to the United States, cautioning that the use of Western long-range weapons to strike deep inside Russian territory could lead to severe consequences that would reverberate across both sides of the Atlantic. Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, made the remarks on Monday, following a visit to Washington by senior Ukrainian officials.
The delegation from Kiev, which included Andrey Yermak, the chief of staff to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, reportedly presented American officials with a list of potential targets within Russia that they wish to attack using Western-supplied long-range weaponry.
Antonov warned that such an escalation could provoke a broader conflict that would not be confined to Europe alone. “Washington’s idea of pitting Europe against Russia through the Ukrainian crisis will not pass,” Antonov declared. “The US will not be able to sit it out across the ocean if the current situation escalates into a global conflict.”
Moscow views the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as a US-led proxy war against Russia, with Ukrainian forces being utilized as “cannon fodder.” Antonov emphasized that no amount of military aid provided to Ukraine would enable it to secure a military victory over Russia. He also hinted at potential retaliatory measures, suggesting that Russia might supply similar military capabilities to adversaries of the West if long-range strikes on Russian soil were carried out.
This warning comes as tensions continue to rise over the supply of advanced weaponry to Ukraine by Western nations. Unlike the UK and France, which have delivered air-launched long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, the US has thus far provided only a limited number of ground-launched ballistic missiles, some of which have been used by Kiev to target Crimea.
As the situation grows increasingly volatile, Antonov concluded with a stark message: “There is no doubt that Russia will cope with the new challenge to its security, and the goals and objectives of the special military operation will be fully implemented.”
