MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that the Western nations letting Ukraine use longer-range weapons to strike Russian targets would mean NATO would be “at war” with Russia.
Putin’s remarks came as the United States and the United Kingdom’s top diplomats discussed easing rules on firing Western weapons into Russia, which Kyiv has been pressing for, more than two and a half years into Moscow’s offensive.
In an interview with state television, Putin emphasized the gravity of such a move, suggesting that it would fundamentally alter the nature of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “This would in a significant way change the very nature of the conflict,” Putin said.
Putin further warned that if Western countries approved the use of long-range weapons by Ukraine, it would imply direct involvement by NATO in the military conflict. “It would mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia,” he added.
“If that’s the case,” Putin added, “then taking into account the change of nature of the conflict, we will take the appropriate decisions based on the threats that we will face.” The Russian leader did not specify what actions Russia might take in response, but his comments indicated a potential escalation in military and diplomatic tensions.
Clearing Kyiv to strike deep into Russia “is a decision on whether NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict or not”.
Putin’s comments came as Kyiv pressed the West to provide more powerful weapons with fewer restrictions, as Russia continues its advance into eastern Ukraine.
Russia on Thursday said that its military has successfully recaptured ten villages in the Kursk border region, where Ukraine last month launched a major cross-border incursion. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that these gains were made by the “North” group of troops over the past two days.
According to a statement released on the ministry’s Telegram channel, Russian forces have reclaimed control of the settlements, which had previously been occupied by Ukrainian troops following a major cross-border incursion last month. “Units of the ‘North’ group of troops liberated 10 settlements within two days,” the defence ministry said.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the reports of a Russian counter-offensive in a press conference in Kyiv. “Russians have launched counter-offensive actions, which align with our Ukrainian plan,” Zelensky said.
The Russian attacks have targeted the western flank of Ukrainian positions, which had been established after a surprise incursion into Russian territory in early August. Pro-Moscow war bloggers and Ukrainian military analysts reported on September 11 that Russian forces had begun active assault operations, including the use of armoured vehicles across various rivers, such as the Sejm.
DeepState, a Ukrainian open-source intelligence resource, stated on Telegram that Russian forces intensified their operations, recapturing the town of Korenevo among other areas. This information has been corroborated by the Rybar channel, which is associated with the Russian Defense Ministry.
Major General Apti Alaudinov, commander of the Akhmat special forces involved in the Kursk operations, confirmed that Russian troops had retaken around ten settlements. “The situation is favourable for us,” Alaudinov told TASS.
“We continue to repel and defeat the enemy forces, who have suffered significant casualties and are finding it difficult to maintain their positions.”
Some Russian sources claimed that the village of Snagost and other settlements had been restored to Russian control, although these reports have not been independently verified. The Ukrainian side has yet to acknowledge any changes in the situation in the Kursk region.
Despite the recent gains by Russian forces, the city of Sudzha, crucial for the logistics of the Ukrainian group in Kursk, remains unaffected. Sudzha is located approximately 40 kilometers from Snagost.
Ukrainian Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy commented last week that Russia was planning a new assault on Ukraine from the Kursk region before the recent incursion began. Syrskiy regarded the incursion as a success in diminishing the threat of Russian attacks and bringing the conflict to Russian soil.
“We moved the fighting to the enemy’s territory so that he could feel what we feel every day,” Syrskiy said in an interview with CNN.
Since launching the incursion on August 6, Kyiv claims to have seized control of over 1,200 square kilometers of Russian territory. According to Syrskiy, Moscow has deployed tens of thousands of troops to the region, including elite airborne assault units.
It was previously reported that the operation was aimed at improving Kyiv’s position in the event of peace negotiations. Analysts also suggest that the operation aimed not only to improve Kyiv’s position for potential peace negotiations but also to demonstrate the seriousness of Ukraine’s response to the invasion.
