'This is escalation': Putin's minister's chilling warning to West
Published: 01:14 GMT, 20 November 2024
Russia has signalled it will retaliate with full-scale nuclear war after Ukraine launched US-made missiles over the border on Tuesday.
Vladimir Putin's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov chillingly warned that Moscow would 'react accordingly' as he described the strike as a signal Kyiv 'wanted to escalate'.
The terrifying sabre rattling was confirmed by the Russian President's close ally Dmitry Medvedev. Posting on X, the Deputy Chair of Russia's security council said it meant 'World War III'.
In a dramatic escalation on the 1,000th day of the conflict, Kyiv launched six 'ATACM' missiles from an undisclosed location over the border into Russian territory.
The strikes triggered a fiery explosion at a depot in Karachev, believed to be storing ammunition supplied by North Korea, around 75 miles from the Ukrainian border.
At the same time, Putin provocatively signed off changes to the country's laws on nuclear weapons to make it easier for them to be deployed against Ukraine in retaliation.
The amendments allow Russia to launch a nuclear attack in response to a conventional weapons strike – such as one by long-range missiles.
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer offered his biggest hint yet that No.10 would authorise Ukraine to fire UK Storm Shadow missiles into Russia.
He said the G20 summit in Brazil: 'I've been doubling down in my clear message that we need to ensure Ukraine has what is needed for as long as needed to win this war against Putin.
'I am not going to go into operational details. You would not expect me to. The only winner in that would be Putin and it would undermine Ukraine.'
He added that the rhetoric currently coming from Russia was 'irresponsible' and would not deter the UK's reosponse.
Zelenksy's plea to use UK Storm Shadow missiles on targets in Russia has so far been rebuffed by Downing Street for fears of escalating the conflict.
A senior defence source said the UK prefers to 'confirm by use', for example, when a missile strikes.
Meanwhile, there is growing concern about Europe's ability to respond to Russia's increased use of hybrid warfare and sabotage attacks.
A former defence official, has warned that it is 'totally unprepared' for the Kremlin's escalating response, The Guardian has reported.
The senior European defence official, who recently left their position, said the block lacked the resources to counter Russian sabotage attacks.