Russia Threatens Ukraine, West With ‘Brutal’ Response as Long Range Missile Deal Looms

Top Russian officials have threatened the West if Kyiv is allowed to fire Western-supplied long-range missiles into Russian territory. “The decision is there, all the carte blanche, indulgences have been issued [to Kyiv]. Therefore, we will respond in a brutal way,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Sept. 14, according to Russian state-owned TASS news agency. “There is an element of serious risk here, because the opponents in Washington, London, and other places clearly underestimate the degree of danger of the game they continue to play,” Ryabkov said. The threats were made as President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met to discuss, among other topics, if Kyiv should be granted permission to strike targets inside Russia with donated long-range missiles. Ahead of the talks at the White House, Putin warned Western nations that such a move would be deemed as NATO’s “direct participation” in the war....