Russian Lawmakers Threaten World War III Over U.S. Decision to Arm Ukraine
Senior Russian lawmakers have warned that the decision by outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia with ATACMS missiles could lead to World War III.
The decision marks a significant shift in U.S. policy, allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the U.S. for strikes inside Russia. Russian lawmakers have reacted strongly to this move, warning of dire consequences.
“This is a very big step towards the start of World War III,” said Vladimir Dzhabarov, a Russian lawmaker, according to Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency. “The West has decided on a level of escalation that could end with the remnants of Ukraine completely losing their statehood,” added Andrei Klishas, another member of Russia’s Federation Council.
Ukraine is expected to use the missiles initially against Russian and North Korean forces in the Kursk Oblast region. However, it is unclear whether Washington will authorize their use elsewhere.
The Kremlin has yet to comment officially on the latest reports, but President Vladimir Putin had previously warned that long-range strikes against Russia with Western arms would mean NATO’s involvement in the war.