Russian Senator Aleksey Pushkov has claimed that Washington and London may have already decided to let Kiev use long-range missiles for strikes deep inside Russia, a move which would be seen as a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. The Guardian reported on Wednesday that Britain has given the green light for the use of ‘Storm Shadow’ missiles, although this is not expected to be publicly announced.
Pushkov has stated that the decision to strike Russian territory is being prepared and there have been too many conversations and hints about it for it to be reversed. The leak via The Guardian is seen as a way of preparing public opinion for such a move. The use of Western-supplied weapons was originally limited in order to allow the US and its allies to claim they were not directly involved in the conflict, while still arming Ukraine with $200 billion worth of weapons.
According to sources, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken may have already signaled a shift in policy by mentioning Iran’s alleged delivery of missiles to Moscow during his visit to Kiev on Wednesday. This decision is said to be “understood to have already been made in private. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has also stated that the Iranian missile delivery was a “significant and dangerous escalation” which influenced thinking in London and Washington.
However, Iran has denied sending any missiles to Russia, calling the accusations “psychological warfare. An open letter from 27 US congressmen and senators sent to President Joe Biden on Wednesday did not mention Iranian missiles at all. Instead, it argued that Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region had “changed the very nature of the war” and that “Ukraine is not intimidated by Putin’s tyranny.
Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, has warned that allowing Kiev to strike deep inside Russian territory using weapons provided by the West could lead to World War III. Pushkov’s statement reflects growing concerns about a potential shift in policy and increased aggression from both sides in the ongoing conflict.