Putin declares that Russia may launch missiles within close proximity to the West

Samia Nakhoul, Guy Faulconbridge

06/06/2024

Summary

• Russia may send missiles closer to West
• Putin: West should read Russia’s nuclear doctrine
• Western weapons hitting Russia is a step to war
• Putin: Russia will not attack NATO

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, June 5, (Reuters) — Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that he would be able to deploy conventional missiles within the striking distance from and the United States and its European allies if they permit Ukraine to further penetrate Russia using Long-range Western weapons.

Putin In his first meeting face-to-face with the top editors of international news organizations after the conflict in Ukraine began, stated that the West was mistaken to believe that Russia will not ever use nuclear weapons. He also said the Kremlin’s nuclear policy should not be taken lightly.

When was asked regarding NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg’s call to permit Ukraine to make use of Western weapons to attack Russian territories, Putin differentiated between different missiles, but warned that not to allow Kyiv the ability to attack Russia with ever-more powerful weapons would be a grave increase in power that could lead the West towards conflict with Russia.

Russia’s response, the 71-year old Kremlin head said will be to destroy Western missiles. He specifically referred to U.S. ATACMS, and British and French missile systems.

Putin added that Moscow was considering using similar long-range, high-tech missiles that are close enough to strike the states that have allowed Ukraine to attack Russian territories with these missiles.

“If we see that these countries are being drawn into a war against the Russian Federation, then we reserve the right to act in the same way. In general, this is a path to very serious problems,” Putin declared.

Putin didn’t provide details of the locations he would be considering the launch of these missiles.

President Joe Biden authorized Kyiv to launch a few U.S.-supplied weapons against military targets in Russia. Washington has not yet ruled out Kyiv from attacking Russia using ATACMS which are capable of launching as long as 186 miles (300 km) as well as the other longer-range U.S.-supplied weapons.

British Foreign Minister David Cameron, during a visit to Kyiv on May 3 said to Reuters Ukraine was entitled to make use of the weapons supplied by Britain to hit targets within Russia It was the decision of Kyiv whether or not to use them.

NUCLEAR RISK

The Russian president spoke to reporters for over three hours in the newly constructed 81-floor Gazprom tower prior to the week-long St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin touched on issues ranging from the conflict that rages in Gaza to the forthcoming U.S. election.

“No one in the United States is interested in Ukraine, they are interested in the greatness of the United States, which is fighting not for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, but for its own greatness.”

Putin stated that Russia didn’t care who is the new U.S. president was but claimed that his U.S. court system was evidently employed in the political battle with Republican candidate Donald Trump.

“They are burning themselves from the inside, their state, their political system … It is obvious all over the world that the prosecution of Trump, especially in court on charges that were formed on the basis of events that happened years ago, without direct proof, is simply using the judicial system in an internal political struggle,” Putin said. Putin.

Two years after the most deadly land war within Europe in the history of World War Two, Putin is now more often referring to the possibility of an all-out war as the West struggles to decide what to do with the rise of Russian troops into Ukraine.

In response to questions about the dangers that nuclear warfare could bring, Putin said Russia’s nuclear doctrine allowed for the use of nuclear weapons.

“For some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use it,” Putin stated when questioned to answer questions by Reuters about the possibility of an escalation of nuclear weapons in Ukraine in about three hours of interrogation.

“We have a nuclear doctrine, look what it says. If someone’s actions threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider it possible for us to use all means at our disposal. This should not be taken lightly, superficially.”

The Russian nuclear doctrine, which was published in 2020 defines the conditions in that the Russian president might consider using the nuclear weapon in defense against an attack involving nuclear weapons, or any other weapon that are of massive destruction or conventional weapons being used to attack Russia “when the very existence of the state is put under threat.”

NATO ATTACK?

Putin is adamant that the war in Ukraine as an ongoing battle against an increasingly decrepit and stale West which, he claims, humiliated Russia following when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 by invading the sphere of influence, which includes Ukraine.

Putin claimed that the West was unable to talk about the root causes of the conflict that began in 2014, when the president of Russia was overthrown during Ukrainian’s Maidan Revolution. Putin claimed it was an U.S.-backed coup.

The West refers to the incursion as a land grab reminiscent of the imperial era and has pledged to assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces.

Ukraine declares that it will not stop until every Russian soldier is removed from the regions in Ukraine they control. Moscow currently considers to be part of Russia.

Western officials and Ukraine have dismissed Russia’s warnings over the likelihood of a larger war with Russia however, they have repeatedly cautioned Putin could strike a member of NATO the most strong military alliance.

The two leaders Putin as well as Biden have stated that a direct war between Russia the world’s most powerful nuclear power and U.S.-led NATO would be a step towards World War Three.

“You should not make Russia out to be the enemy. You’re only hurting yourself with this, you know?” Putin declared.

“They thought that Russia wanted to attack NATO. Have you gone completely crazy? That is as thick as this table. Who came up with this? It is just complete nonsense, you know? Total rubbish.”

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Extra reporting done written by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Lincoln Feast.

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