Kremlin calls AFU strikes with Western missiles deep into Russian Federation a new escalation

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on November 21 that strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with Western long-range missiles deep into Russian territories are a new escalation.

"A new escalation is taking place - this is a very irresponsible position that the outgoing[US] administration is engaged in. They continue to pour oil on the fire of this conflict, in every possible way preventing any momentum toward its completion, while naturally using Ukraine as a tool in their hands," Peskov said at a briefing.

Asked whether Russia had confirmation of the use of the Storm Shadow missile, the presidential spokesman said he did not want to talk about what was the prerogative of the military department.

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Earlier in the day, former leader of the ruling British Labor Party Jeremy Corbyn called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to address the country's Parliament and clarify the situation with British Storm Shadow missiles, in particular, to report whether they were used for strikes deep into Russian territory.

The day before, the Bloomberg agency reported that the AFU for the first time used Storm Shadow missiles for strikes on Russian territory. According to the agency, the British government has given Ukraine permission to use these long-range missiles in this way, but considers its own move an escalation of the conflict.

The Guardian later clarified that Starmer's spokesman would not comment on media reports about British long-range Storm Shadow missiles striking deep into Russia. He explained that in the office of the Prime Minister will not comment on this matter, however, according to the publication, the British missiles were used in reality.

Before that, on November 17, The New York Times reported that US President Joe Biden had authorized Ukraine to use US long-range missiles to strike Russia, but there was no official confirmation from Washington yet. At the same time, Deputy National Security Adviser to the US president John Feiner did not confirm in a conversation with journalists on 18 November that Washington had given such permission to Kiev. The official noted that the White House is guided in its political decisions by the situation on the battlefield.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed on November 18 that Kiev's possible use of long-range missiles for such purposes would receive an "adequate and tangible" response. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitriy Peskov, commenting on Ukraine's possible authorization 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.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine amid 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.