Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid down another red line, warning the United States over Tomahawk missiles. Relations between Moscow and Washington would be permanently ruined, should the latter give the long-range missiles to Kiev, the Russian president has said.
Russia has had a habit of declaring its red lines, only to have the U.S. and other Western countries cross them. So far, Russia hasn’t retaliated directly against those who balk at their warnings.
Russia Warns Of “Red Lines” Being Crossed…Again
This warning comes after last month’s announcement by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance declaring that the White House was considering supplying Kiev with the rockets. These munitions, which cost an estimated $1.3 million each and have a range of 2,500km (1,550 miles), meaning that they could potentially reach Moscow and far beyond.
According to a report by RT, speaking at the Valdai forum on Thursday, the Russian president argued that Kiev’s forces would be unable to operate such a sophisticated system without the “direct participation of American military personnel.” Putin expressed confidence that in any event, “the deliveries of American Tomahawk cruise missiles will not change the balance of power on the battlefield.”
Several sources have claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has specifically asked for the Tomahawk missiles after long-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) were delivered.
Putin added that Kiev’s forces would be unable to operate such a sophisticated system without the “direct participation of American military personnel.” Putin expressed confidence that in any event, “the deliveries of American Tomahawk cruise missiles will not change the balance of power on the battlefield.”
Last Sunday, Vance told Fox News that “we’re certainly looking at [supplying the Tomahawks].”
The following day, special envoy Keith Kellogg suggested that the US president might have already approved Ukrainian long-range strikes inside Russia, one of the “red lines” Putin had warned of for years.
Russia Says Western Europe Has Ignored Putin’s Warnings Against Interfering In The Conflict
However, at the end of the day, weapons won’t change the outcome of the war, only prolong it, according to Putin. He cited earlier deliveries of long-range ATACMS missiles, which at first “caused some damage, but in the end, Russia’s air defense systems adapted.”
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