The Russian Embassy in Washington said in a statement on Wednesday that any shipment of US Patriot missiles to Ukraine could “lead to unforeseen consequences” and threaten global security.
US officials said in a CNN report on Tuesday that the Biden administration is finalizing plans to shoot down an advanced long-range air defense system in Ukraine to aid counterattacks from Moscow.
If confirmed, we will see another provocative move by Al [Biden] “This may lead to unintended consequences,” the Russian embassy statement said.
She added that the continued supply of weapons to Ukraine “will only strengthen the Zelensky regime’s sense of impunity and push it to commit new crimes against civilians” in four Ukrainian regions that Russia claims to annex.
The statement also criticized US support for Ukraine, saying that “Washington’s strategy not only causes serious damage to Russian-American relations, but also creates additional risks to global security.”
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said any Patriot missiles sent to Ukraine would be a legitimate target for Russian forces, but added that the US plan had not been confirmed.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that a potential handover of power to Washington would increase the risk of direct US military involvement in the Ukraine conflict, according to the state news agency.
On December 13, the United States announced its intention to supply Ukraine with a battery of Patriot air defense missiles. Previously, many experts, including abroad, questioned the rationality of such a move, which would lead to an escalation of the conflict. “Immediately drag the American army into battle,” Zakharova said at a press conference in Moscow.
“We would like to reaffirm that all weapons provided to Ukraine by the West are legitimate military targets for the Russian armed forces, and they will be disposed of or captured, as our country has repeatedly stated,” she said.
“Washington continues to arm other NATO countries with force and demands the largest contribution to the militarization of Ukraine,” Zakharova said.
