President Putin issued a strong warning to the West during his speech in St. Petersburg: refrain from allowing Ukraine to deploy its long-range missiles to attack Russian territory.
He claimed that Moscow would see that as the NATO nations’ “direct participation” in the conflict in Ukraine.
The head of the Kremlin went on, “It would significantly change the very essence, the nature of the conflict.”
“This implies that the USA, other NATO members, and states in Europe are engaged in combat with Russia.”
He said that, for missile launches against Russia, Ukraine would require data from Western satellites and that only personnel from Nato member states would be able to “input flight missions into these missile systems”.
Russia has already drawn red lines. and previously witnessed them crossed.
When President Putin declared on February 24, 2022, that his “special military operation”—a full-scale invasion of Ukraine—was about to begin, he warned “those who may be tempted to interfere from the outside.”
The head of the Kremlin had said, “Anyone who tries to stand in our way or create threats for our country and our people, they must know that Russia will respond immediately.”
“And the repercussions will be like nothing you have ever experienced in your entire life.”
Leaders in the West disregarded what was perceived at the time as nuclear sabre-rattling. Since then, the West has given Ukraine tanks, cutting-edge missile defense systems, and most recently, American F-16 fighter jets.
