(BBC News) The headline in this morning’s Kommersant newspaper captured the drama.
“Vladimir Putin draws his red line.”
Will the West cross it? And, if it does, how will Russia respond?
Speaking in St Petersburg, President Putin sent a clear warning to the West: don’t allow Ukraine to use your long-range missiles to strike Russian territory.
Moscow, he said, would view that as the “direct participation” of NATO countries in the war in Ukraine.
“It would substantially change the very essence, the nature of the conflict,” the Kremlin leader continued.
“This will mean that NATO countries, the USA and European states, are fighting with Russia.”
He claimed that, for missile launches into Russia, Ukraine would require data from western satellites and that only servicemen from NATO member states would be able to “input flight missions into these missile systems.”
Russia has drawn red lines before. And seen them crossed before.
On February 24, 2022, when he announced the start of his “special military operation” – the full-scale invasion of Ukraine – Putin issued a warning to “those who may be tempted to interfere from the outside.”
“No matter who tries to stand in our way or create threats for our country and our people, they must know that Russia will respond immediately,” he had said.
“And the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history.”
Western leaders ignored what was widely interpreted at the time as nuclear sabre-rattling.
The West has since provided Ukraine with tanks, advanced missile systems and, most recently, F-16 American fighter jets.
This year, Russia has already accused Ukraine of using American long-range ATACMS missiles to target Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia.
