Russia has said that by allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russia, the West is playing with fire. It cautioned the U.S on Tuesday that with western missiles being used by Ukraine, World War Three would not be confined to Europe.
On Aug 6, Ukraine attacked Russia’s Kursk region. This is the biggest foreign attack on Russia since World War two. Russia President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would give a worthy response.
Sergei Lavrov, who has served as Putin’s foreign minister for more than 20 years, said that the West was seeking to escalate the Ukraine war. He said that the West is “asking for trouble” by considering Ukrainian requests to loosen curbs on using foreign-supplied weapons.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly warned of the risk of a bigger war, involving the world’s biggest nuclear powers. However, he said that Russia does not want a conflict with the US-led NATO alliance.
“We are now confirming once again that playing with fire – and they are like small children playing with matches – is a very dangerous thing for grown-up uncles and aunts who are entrusted with nuclear weapons in one or another Western country,” Lavrov said.
“Americans unequivocally associate conversations about the Third World War as something that will affect Europe exclusively,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov added that Russia was “clarifying” its nuclear doctrine.
Russia’s 2020 nuclear doctrine sets out when its president would consider using a nuclear weapon: broadly as a response to an attack using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction or conventional weapons “when the very existence of the state is put under threat”.
RUSSIA’S RESPONSE
Earlier this month, Zelenskiy said that the Kremlin’s threats of retaliation were a bluff.
Zelenskiy said that Ukraine could not use the weapons at its disposal to hit some Russian military targets. This is because of the restrictions imposed by allies. He further urged allies to be bolder in their decisions about how to help Kyiv in the war.
Russia has claimed that the weapons used by Ukraine in the recent incursions were provided by the West. This includes British tanks and the U.S. rocket systems. Kyiv has confirmed using the U.S. HIMARS missiles to destroy bridges in Kursk.
Russia has said that Western weaponry, including British tanks and U.S. rocket systems, have been used by Ukraine in Kursk. Kyiv has confirmed using U.S. HIMARS missiles to take out bridges in Kursk.
Washington has denied taking part in this operation. It said it was not informed about Ukraine’s surprise incursion plans.
(With inputs from Reuters)
