Russia has issued a stark warning to Ukraine, threatening a ‘very painful and immediate’ response should Kyiv use long-range weapons to attack targets deep within Russian territory. This statement comes amid Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to secure permission from the United States to employ such weapons, a request met with reluctance due to fears of escalating the conflict. While the United States and its European partners have provided Ukraine with substantial military aid, they have refrained from authorizing the use of long-range weapons for strikes deep inside Russia. Currently, Ukraine is permitted to use small arms, artillery, and armored vehicles within Russia, along with missiles in border regions, but not in the interior.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova emphasized the severity of Russia’s potential response, stating that it would be ‘immediate’ and ‘extremely painful.’ “We would like to warn such irresponsible politicians—in EU countries and behind the ocean—If such aggressive steps are taken by the Kyiv regime, Russia’s response will be immediate, I think many of that you have already been observing in the last days, and it will be extremely painful,” said Zakharova, according to an English translation by Reuters.
The Russian warning follows a deadly missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Poltava, which resulted in the deaths of over 50 people and injured over 200. In response to the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his call for the supply of long-range weapons, arguing that they are crucial for Ukraine’s defense. “We continue to urge everyone in the world who has the power to stop this terror: Ukraine needs air defence systems and missiles now, not sitting in storage. Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now, not later. Every day of delay, unfortunately, means more lost lives,” Zelenskyy stated on X (formerly Twitter).
Continuing its criticism of Ukraine and its Western partners, Zakharova accused the West of being the “main instigator” of the conflict. “We see direct involvement of the West into the conflict in Ukraine. The collective West is the main instigator of the military aggression by the Kyiv regime. They are demonstrating their direct involvement as an interested party with more and more frankness and insolence,” Zakharova asserted, as reported by Reuters.
Furthermore, Zakharova criticized Ukraine and its Western partners for exhibiting a disregard for the potential consequences of escalating the conflict. “They are losing the sense of reality, they are not thinking about the risks of further dangerous escalation of the conflict even when it comes to their own interests. It’s not about Ukraine or Ukrainian citizens anymore—they’ve long forgotten about them—they are not thinking about themselves,” Zakharova remarked.
