President Vladimir Putin warned Germany that if Ukrainian forces use German weapons to attack targets within Russia, it would be considered a “dangerous step.” He further stated that Moscow might then supply long-range weapons to other groups to target Western sites.
Such actions by the West would further destabilize international security and could result in “very serious problems,” he remarked.
“That would mark their direct involvement in the war against the Russian Federation, and we reserve the right to act the same way,” Putin added.
Putin pointed out that the use of Western weapons against Russian territory involves military personnel from those countries managing the missiles and designating targets. Consequently, he suggested that Moscow might take “asymmetrical” actions, potentially including providing such weapons to others to attack facilities of those respective countries worldwide.
“If they consider it possible to deliver such weapons to the combat zone to launch strikes on our territory and create problems for us, why don’t we have the right to supply weapons of the same type to some regions of the world where they can be used to launch strikes on sensitive facilities of the countries that do it to Russia?” he said.
“We will think about it,” he said.
Germany, alongside the United States, has recently allowed Ukraine to use long-range weapons to hit some targets on Russian soil. The delivery of German tanks to Ukraine has particularly unsettled many in Russia, according to Putin.
“Now if they use missiles to strike facilities on the Russian territory, it will completely ruin Russian-German relations,” he said.
On Wednesday, a Western official and a U.S. senator indicated that Ukraine has utilized U.S. weapons to conduct strikes within Russia, following new directives from President Joe Biden. This guidance permits the use of American arms strictly for defending Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the sensitive issue publicly, spoke anonymously.
During his first session with international journalists since beginning his fifth term last month, Putin asserted that Russia-U.S. relations would remain unchanged regardless of whether Biden or Donald Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November.
“We will work with any president the American people elect,” Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
“I say absolutely sincerely, I wouldn’t say that we believe that after the election something will change on the Russian track in the American politics,” he added. “We don’t think so. We think nothing that serious will happen.”
Putin also remarked that Trump’s recent felony conviction in his hush money trial was an instance of “the use of the court system as part of the internal political struggle.”
During the session, Putin answered questions on various topics from senior leaders of international news agencies, including The Associated Press, although the ongoing conflict in Ukraine was the primary focus.
When asked about Russian military losses, Putin asserted that no nation would disclose such information during active conflict but claimed, without providing specifics, that Ukraine’s losses are five times greater than Russia’s.
He also claimed that Ukraine has over 1,300 Russian soldiers in captivity, whereas Russia is holding more than 6,400 Ukrainian troops.
{Matzav.com}
