Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles would constitute ‘direct’ US involvement in war, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says

() – Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia would constitute “direct participation” by the United States in the war, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Monday.

“Kyiv’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, as well as a radical change in the essence and nature of the conflict,” Zakharova said, according to the state media TASS. “Russia’s response will be appropriate and tangible in this case.”

His statement expanded on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s earlier comments in September at the United Cultures Forum in St. Petersburg.

Putin was asked to comment on the possibility of the United States granting Ukraine permission to use American weapons to attack targets inside Russia. Putin then responded: “If this decision is made, it will mean nothing less than direct participation: it will mean that NATO countries, the United States and European countries will be parties to the war in Ukraine.”

“It is obvious that the outgoing US administration wants to add fuel to the fire and escalate the conflict in Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

He commented that if Biden’s decision was “formulated and communicated to the Kyiv regime, then, of course, this is a qualitatively new round of tension.”