Russia warns of a nuclear clash after missiles were fired at its territory
Russia has warned that British support for Ukraine could push tensions to the brink of a nuclear clash.
November 23, 2024, published at 5:00 PM ET
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Andrei Kelin called the West’s support for Ukrainian missile attacks on Russian territory a serious escalation.
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Kelin warned that the use of Western missiles, such as ATACMS, against Russia could result in a “clash between the nuclear powers.”
The Kremlin also hinted at the right to target countries whose weapons are used against Russian forces.
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Putin warned during a television appearance that Russia would strike back.
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Putin ordered the mass production of the ‘unstoppable’ Oreshnik – reportedly capable of reaching Britain in less than 20 minutes – after hitting the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with an experimental hypersonic missile on Thursday.
He said: “There is currently no countermeasure against such a missile, no means to intercept it. And I will emphasize again that we will continue to test this latest system. It is necessary to establish series production.”
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Amid concerns about intensification, Ambassador Kelin said Britain is now “directly involved” in the war in Ukraine after its Storm Shadow missiles were reportedly used to hit targets in Russia.
British long-range missiles were reportedly approved for use after the US approved Ukraine’s use of ATACMS missiles.
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Kelin said: “Absolutely, Britain and Great Britain are now directly involved in this war, because this fire cannot happen without NATO personnel, and also without British personnel.
“The US government, support[ed] of France and Great Britain, has made a deliberate decision to carry out these attacks, which seriously escalates the situation and could cause a clash between the nuclear powers.”
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The Pentagon also told Ukraine that North Korean targets supporting Russian forces in Russia are considered a “fair target.”
The Kremlin has said it is making “maximum efforts” to avoid a nuclear conflict, despite updating its nuclear doctrine this week.
The new policy allows Russia to use strategic weapons if Russia or Belarus is threatened by a non-nuclear country backed by a nuclear power.
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Putin stated that Russia will conduct additional tests of the hypersonic Oreshnik missile “in combat conditions” after its recent deployment in Ukraine.
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It also outlines that an attack with conventional missiles, drones or aircraft could trigger a nuclear response from Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday: “We have emphasized in the context of our doctrine that Russia occupies a responsible position to make maximum efforts not to allow such a conflict.”
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Putin announced that Russia will conduct more tests of the hypersonic Oreshnik missile “in combat conditions”, following its recent use in Ukraine.
He said in a televised meeting: “We will continue these tests, including under combat conditions, depending on the situation and the nature of the security threats against Russia.”
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He claimed that although it is not an intercontinental missile, its power could rival strategic or nuclear weapons if multiple missiles were used in a single attack.
Putin has also ordered the missile to go into serial production and emphasized the development of similarly advanced weapons, claiming that no other country has such technology.
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The tyrant acknowledged that other countries will eventually develop similar weapons, but added: “That will be in a year or two. But we have this system now, and that’s what matters.”
Putin’s meeting with missile developers came at the end of a week marked by a significant escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.
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A mushroom cloud of smoke blankets the English capital.
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On Friday, Ukraine’s former military commander strongly warned that World War III was already underway as soldiers from other countries “stood for Ukraine.”
Valery Zaluzhny, who is now Ukraine’s envoy to Britain, said at a ceremony in Kiev: “I believe that in 2024 we can absolutely believe that World War III has started.”
The general stated that as of this year, “Ukraine is no longer fighting Russia alone; North Korean soldiers are now facing Ukraine.”
