Putin vows to respond if West helps Ukraine with long-range missiles – POLITICO

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the country’s defense ministry is working out a strategy on how to respond if the West helps Ukraine strike deep inside Russia with long-range missiles.

During an interview on Russian state TV, Putin said it was too early to say exactly how Russia would counter such a move, but that Moscow would have to respond accordingly.

The Russian defense ministry "is thinking about how to respond to the possible long-range strikes on Russian territory," Putin said. "It will offer a range of responses," he added.

As the war in Ukraine approaches its third anniversary, Russian officials say it is now entering its most dangerous phase, with Moscow signaling to NATO and allies in recent weeks that if they give permission to Ukraine to strike deep into Russia with Western-supplied missiles, then the Kremlin will consider it a major escalation.

Putin last month said that such a step would mean "the direct involvement of NATO countries, in the war in Ukraine" because NATO military infrastructure and personnel would have to be involved in the targeting and firing of the missiles.