A Russian expert has warned that President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to launch long-range missiles on Russia allows Vladimir Putin to attack NATO airbases.
Dmitry Suslov, deputy director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics, told TASS that the US has now risked an “escalation” by Moscow.
The Kremlin will undoubtedly react to any missile attacks on the Russian Federation and it begs the question will Putin conduct a pre-emptive strike on Ukraine.
On 12 September Putin said any decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles on Russia will mean that NATO is now involved in the war.
He warned this will drastically alter the conflict and Russia will take all appropriate measures in response to any threat.
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In response to the US President Joe Biden allowing the use of such missiles Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters this will be an “escalation of tensions.”
Peskov said, “If such a decision has indeed been formulated and communicated to the Kiev regime, then, of course, this is a qualitatively new round of escalation of tensions and a qualitatively new situation in terms of the involvement of the United States in this conflict.”
“We are proceeding from this,” he added.
Suslov said, “The risks of escalation are certainly increasing dramatically,” he pointed out. “Moscow has explained that it sees and will see such long-range strikes as the direct entry of the US and West into the war against Russia.
“Accordingly, some steps will need to be taken that would cause direct and immediate damage to Western countries and the US, up to Russia’s direct missile strikes on their military facilities, which certainly won’t involve nuclear warheads. However, it’s a decision of last resort.”
Suslov, retaliatory measures could include more advanced weapons to be sent to the Middle East for forces that are fighting against the US.
He added this being “directly fighting against the US, particularly, in the Middle East.”
He warned there is also a possibility Putin could immediately strike US military bases outside Europe, “This is an extreme option and in this regard, Russia already has a blank check to target NATO’s military facilities in NATO countries,” he added.
