‘Don’t play with fire’ – senior Russian MP to the West
The West is “playing with fire” through its involvement in the Ukraine conflict, senior State Duma MP Leonid Slutsky has said. The lawmaker warned that Moscow’s military has the use of advanced weaponry, such as the new ‘Oreshnik’ hypersonic missile it fired this week.
In a Telegram post on Thursday, Slutsky, who heads the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, cautioned against moves to “provoke” Russia and accused the West of pushing the world towards a new “missile crisis.”
“Given the presence of advanced weapons in the Russian Army, such as ‘Oreshnik’, it is better not to play with ‘fire’ and not even try to provoke!” Slutsky wrote.
He cited Thursday’s televised address by Russian President Vladimir Putin, writing: “Putin again warns and urges not to doubt Russia’s determination and capabilities to repel aggression.”
During his address from the Kremlin, the Russian president announced the deployment of the new ‘Oreshnik’ hypersonic missile system, and criticized the US for exacerbating tensions.
Putin accused Washington and NATO of intentionally escalating the Ukraine conflict by supplying Kiev with long-range precision weaponry capable of striking internationally recognized Russian soil.
This week, Ukraine used American-made ATACMS missiles and British Storm Shadow systems to strike targets in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions, which Putin described as proof of the West’s intention to broaden the scope of the conflict.
Putin said such strikes could not occur without direct involvement from US and NATO military specialists, stating that “the regional conflict in Ukraine provoked by the West has assumed elements of a global nature.”
The Russian leader reiterated Moscow’s openness to peace talks, but cautioned that Russia is also “ready for any developments,” and that one should not doubt that “there will always be a response.”
