Russia Could Deploy Missiles In Striking Distance Of West: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia could deploy conventional missiles within striking distance of the United States and its European allies if they allowed Ukraine to strike deeper into Russia with long-range Western weapons.

In his first face-to-face meeting with senior editors of international news agencies since the war in Ukraine began, Mr. Putin said the West was wrong to assume Russia would never use nuclear weapons. He said the Kremlin’s nuclear doctrine should not be taken lightly.

When asked about NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg’s calls to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike Russian territory, Putin



differentiated between different missiles but warned allowing Kyiv to strike Russia with ever more powerful weapons was a serious escalation that was drawing the West towards a war with Russia.

Putin also said Moscow was considering deploying similar high-technology, long-range missiles close enough to strike the states that allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory with such missiles.

Earlier, President Joe Biden authorized Kyiv to launch some U.S.-supplied weapons at military targets inside Russia. Washington still prohibits Kyiv from striking Russia with ATACMS and other long-range U.S. supplied weapons.