(CLO) The Kremlin on Monday (November 18) accused the administration of US President Joe Biden of escalating the war in Ukraine, while pledging to respond to the decision to allow Kiev to use long-range missiles provided by the US to attack targets inside Russia.
"It is clear that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps aimed at further adding fuel to the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
Mr Peskov said this marked “a new spiral of tensions and a qualitatively new situation in terms of US involvement in the conflict”. He said President Vladimir Putin had made clear his position that such a move would lead NATO “to war” with Russia.
Specifically, Mr. Peskov said Mr. Putin's position is that such attacks will ultimately not be carried out by Ukraine but by the countries that allow the use of such missiles.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Photo: TASS
The Kremlin spokesman said this was because "the targets were not set by the Ukrainian military, but by specialists from these Western countries. That fundamentally changes their fighting methods".
“That is the danger and the provocative nature of this situation,” he added.
Ukraine has long sought permission from the United States to use the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, to attack military facilities inside Russia, as its military is on the back foot in its war with Russia.
Ukraine says it needs the ability to carry out air strikes on Russia to stop aerial bombing that is destroying districts, towns near the front line and energy facilities across the country.
Speaking at the G20 summit in Brazil, Mr Biden called on other leaders to support Ukraine's "sovereignty". "The United States strongly supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In my view, everyone around this table should do the same," Mr Biden said at the meeting.
A US official previously confirmed to AFP the major US policy shift, stating that it was in response to North Korea's alleged cooperation with Russia in deploying thousands of troops to Russia to support its military.
Ukraine has warned that Russia, along with North Korean troops, has assembled a 50,000-strong force to retake parts of Russia's Kursk border region, which was captured by Ukrainian forces in a lightning offensive in August.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer said Washington had made clear it would respond to the Kremlin's decision to deploy "foreign state forces" in Russia.
"We have made it clear to the Russians that we will respond," he told reporters at the G20 summit in Brazil, without formally confirming US media reports that President Biden had approved long-range airstrikes on Russian territory.
Bui Huy (according to TASS, AFP, CNA)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nga-cao-buoc-my-leo-thang-chien-tranh-o-ukraine-tuyen-bo-se-dap-tra-post321914.html
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