Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has issued a stark warning to Western nations, accusing them of ‘playing with fire’ as geopolitical tensions continue to escalate.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Ukraine of resorting to blackmail by requesting Western approval to deploy Storm Shadow missiles and strike deep into Russia.
Lavrov was requested to give his opinion on the current media speculations that Ukrainian head Vladimir Zelensky has intensified his efforts in urging supporters to remove any limitations regarding the utilization of Western arms against objectives situated within Russian borders.
Lavrov accused the West of resorting to blackmail by trying to give the impression that they want to avoid excessive escalation, but he argued that it is just a deception. He emphasized that rather than avoiding escalation, the West actually wants trouble and everyone should be aware of this fact.
Expanding the authorization for use of its weapons could lead to a risky course, cautioned Lavrov regarding the Western nations.
Speculations about the utilization of not only Storm Shadow but also US long-range missiles have been circulating for a considerable period.
Lavrov emphasized that playing with fire, akin to children handling matches, is an extremely perilous activity for adults who possess nuclear weaponry in Western nations. The warning was reiterated.”
READ ALSO: Five Killed in Ukrainian Strike on Belgorod as Russian Raid Injures Journalists
For months, Ukraine has pushed for the use of Storm Shadows to strike targets located within Russia. According to The Guardian’s report on Saturday, Kiev aims to carry out these missile attacks as “demonstration” strikes against Russia’s main regions. A high-ranking Ukrainian official indicated that negotiations with Russia would only be possible if Moscow and St Petersburg felt threatened by Ukraine’s capabilities.
The Storm Shadow missiles were created through joint efforts of the British and French, with production currently managed by European enterprise MBDA. Nevertheless, certain components are sourced in the US which must also be approved for use within Russia by the White House. Despite this requirement, President Biden’s administration has declined to grant such authorization thus far.
Zelensky previously encouraged the West to not be afraid of a possible intensification by Moscow and stated that Kiev’s invasion into Russia’s Kursk Region indicates that Moscow does not have any “red lines.”
Since hostilities began between Moscow and Kiev in 2022, the assault that commenced on August 6th is the most significant of its kind on Russian soil. As per reports from the Defense Ministry in Moscow, more than 6,600 Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives during this intrusion while approximately 800 military gear has been destroyed as well.
Reports in the Western media seem to have supported Russia’s accusations that Ukrainian troops are utilizing weapons supplied by Western sources for their assault on Kursk Region.
Last week, Lavrov claimed that Zelensky had been instructed by the United States to launch an attack on Russian territory and would not have done so otherwise.
