Moscow promised an adequate and tangible response to possible ATACMS strikes on Russian Federation

Russia's response in case Ukraine uses long-range ATACMS missiles for strikes on Russian territory will be adequate and tangible. This was stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on November 18.

"Kiev's use of long-range missiles for attacks on our territory will mean direct participation of the US and its satellites in hostilities against Russia, as well as a radical change in the essence and nature of the conflict. Russia's response in such a case will be adequate and tangible," Zakharova said in a commentary for the media published on the ministry's website.

She stressed that the information about a possible US authorization for Ukraine to use such weapons needs to be verified - it is not known whether the Western mass media rely on official sources in their reports, which Zakharova called "thrown in".

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman pointed out that Ukraine's Western patrons are trying to maximize the escalation of the hybrid war launched against the Russian Federation and achieve their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia. Zakharova stressed that the course of the special operation to defend Donbass will not be affected by any "miracle weapon" on which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose powers expired on May 20, is pinning high hopes.

Zakharova recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin explained that such an authorization for Ukraine to use foreign weapons would essentially mean the involvement of Western countries in the conflict, because the withdrawal of flight missions and other missile manipulations require space reconnaissance data, which will have to be provided to NATO countries, because Kiev does not have such technologies.

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Earlier, on November 17, The New York Times reported that U.S. President Joe Biden allegedly allowed Ukraine to use U.S. long-range missiles to strike Russia. The Le Figaro newspaper said at the same time that the French and British authorities had made a similar decision, but then removed this information from the article. European Union (EU) diplomacy chief Josep Borrel said afterwards that on November 18-19 the issue of lifting restrictions on strikes deep into Russia with European weapons would be discussed.

At the same time, Deputy National Security Advisor to the US President John Feiner did not confirm on November 18 that Washington had given such permission to Kiev. The official emphasized that the White House bases its decisions on the situation on the battlefield.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the possible authorization for Ukraine to use ATACMS for strikes on Russian territory, pointed out that such a move by the USA would become a qualitatively new round of tension, and Moscow's position on this issue is clear to everyone.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine against the backdrop of Russia's special operation to protect Donbass, which began on February 24, 2022. The decision to carry it out was taken by the Russian president because of the aggravation of the situation in the region due to the increased shelling by Ukrainian troops.