RUSSIA VOWS ‘TANGIBLE’ RESPONSE IF US MISSILES ARE USED AGAINST ITS TERRITORY
(BBC) Russia says the use of US long-range missiles by Ukraine will lead to “an appropriate and tangible” response.
Such an attack inside Russian territory “would represent the direct involvement of the United States and its satellites in hostilities against Russia”, a foreign ministry statement said.
President Joe Biden approved the use of the missiles on targets in Russia in a major change of US policy – two months before he is due to leave the White House.
It is not clear if his successor, President-elect Donald Trump, was consulted or whether he will stick by the decision, having promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ukraine has had US ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) with a range of 300km (190 miles) – as well as French and British Storm Shadow missiles of a similar range – but the Western allies had barred Kyiv from hitting Russia with them.
Biden’s decision to lift that condition is a significant moment in the war, which marks its 1,000th day on Tuesday.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
Moscow has now intensified attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure as the sides appear to have reached a stalemate on the battlefield.
RUSSIA VOWS ‘TANGIBLE’ RESPONSE IF US MISSILES ARE USED AGAINST ITS TERRITORY
