Ukraine has already used UK Storm Shadow missiles to strike inside Russia.

Russia Warns UN Security Council ‘Direct War’ with
NATO Assured If US Approves Long-Range Strikes.
White House Dismisses Putin’s Threats

Tyler Durden / Zero Hedge

(September 13, 2024) — Russian leadership has issued a follow-up statement to President Vladimir Putin’s Thursday brief video address warning that if the US and UK authorize Ukraine to pursue long-range strikes on Russian soil, then NATO and the Russian Federation will be in an official state of war.

On Friday Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, informed the UN Security council that NATO countries would “start an open war” in allowing Western long-range missiles to target Russia.

“If such a decision is made, that means NATO countries are starting an open war against Russia,” Moscow’s envoy introduced. “In that case, we will obviously be forced to make certain decisions, with all the attendant consequences for Western aggressors.”

Vassily Nebenzia, permanent representative of Russia to the UN.

Nebenzia continued, “Our Western colleagues will not be able to dodge responsibility and blame Kiev for everything.” And he echoed some key talking points of Putin’s from the day prior in explaining to the UN body, per Russian media:

“Only NATO troops can program the flight solutions for those missile systems. Ukraine doesn’t have that capability. This is not about allowing Kiev to strike Russia with long-range weapons, but about the West making the targeting decisions.”

The Kremlin’s position is that if Western missiles staring raining down on Russian soil, it will consider no distinction between Kiev forces and their NATO backers supplying the munitions. It won’t matter who is pulling the trigger.

“NATO would become directly involved in military action against a nuclear power. I don’t think I have to explain what consequences that would have,” Nebenzia concluded.

To review of Putin’s firm words the day prior…
“So this is not about whether or not to allow the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia using these weapons, but of deciding whether or not NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict or not. If such a decision is taken, it will mean nothing short of direct participation of NATO countries, the United States, European countries, in the war in Ukraine. 

This would constitute their direct participation, and this, of course, changes the very essence, the very nature of the conflict. It will mean that NATO countries, the United States and European countries, are at war with Russia. And if this is so, bearing in mind the change in the very nature of the conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be posed to us,” Putin said.

It is important to note that Putin used the word “war” — a word he typically doesn’t throw around lightly. The Kremlin still calls its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation” and has yet to launch a full-scale national mobilization of the country’s manpower and resources.

Video of Putin’s statement on X: