Moscow reserves the right to strike the military facilities of countries that allow their weapons to be used against Russian territory, President Vladimir Putin has said.
The head of state gave a public address on Thursday, promising a decisive response to any aggression.
“We will determine the targets during further tests of our newest missile systems based on the threats to the security of the Russian Federation,” Putin stated.
The president continued: “We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities.”
According to Putin, the United States has ravaged the international security system, raising the risk of a global conflict.
The Russian president stressed that Moscow has always favored a peaceful resolution and is ready to resolve all contentious issues.
“But we are also ready for any development. Do not doubt it, there will always be a response,” he said.
The Ukrainian military has fired British-made Storm Shadow missiles and US-made HIMARS at targets located in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk Regions, he specified.
Multiple media outlets, including Bloomberg, the BBC, and The Guardian, reported on Wednesday that Ukraine had used Storm Shadow missiles to attack Kursk Region this week. Moscow’s Defense Ministry has said that ATACMS missiles have already been used in an attack on Bryansk Region. Neither the UK nor the US have officially commented on the reports.
This week, Putin ordered the enactment of the country’s new nuclear doctrine, which says that an attack on Russia by a non-nuclear power backed by a nuclear one should be considered a joint attack by both.