Russia has issued a stark warning to the Western world, cautioning that a potential World War Three would not be limited to European borders, following Ukraine’s attack on Russia’s Kursk region.
In the wake of a Ukrainian attack on the western Kursk region of Russia, which has resulted in significant territorial gains for Ukraine, Russian officials have escalated their rhetoric toward the West. The assault, described as the largest foreign incursion on Russian soil since World War Two, prompted a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin who warned of a “worthy” retaliatory action.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking from Moscow, accused the West of attempting to exacerbate the situation in Ukraine. He cautioned against the potential approval of Ukraine’s request to strike deeper into Russian territory with Western-supplied missiles. Lavrov emphasized the dangers posed by such actions, likening them to “playing with fire” and underscoring the risk of nuclear conflict.
“Americans unequivocally associate conversations about a Third World War as something that, God forbid, if it happens, will affect Europe exclusively,” Lavrov stated, indicating the wider implications of the conflict.
Russia also reiterated its military doctrine concerning the use of nuclear weapons, established in 2020, which reserves the use of such weapons as a retaliatory measure to attacks involving nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction that threaten the state’s very existence.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed Kremlin threats of retaliation as bluffs, asserting that the attack on Kursk was a demonstration of their resolve. He highlighted existing restrictions by allies as limitations to Ukraine’s ability to target Russian military positions effectively. Zelenskiy called upon Ukraine’s allies to take bolder steps in supporting Kyiv’s military efforts.
The Kremlin accused Western countries, particularly the United States and Britain, of supplying tactical support and weaponry to Ukraine. This includes British tanks and U.S. rocket systems, which Kyiv has confirmed were part of their operations in Kursk. The U.S.-supplied HIMARS missiles were specifically used to sabotage bridges in the region.
The United States maintains that it was unaware of Ukraine’s plans for the operation in Kursk, emphasizing that it played no active role in the campaign. Nevertheless, The New York Times reported that intelligence provided by the United States and Britain, including satellite imagery, was shared with Ukraine post-attack to aid in tracking Russian troop movements.
Despite Western assertions to the contrary, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov labeled the involvement of the United States as an “obvious fact.” Meanwhile, Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russian foreign intelligence, also questioned Western denials of involvement in the Kursk attack.
As tensions remain high, the international community watches closely, aware that any further escalation could have far-reaching consequences beyond the European continent.