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MOSCOW — Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced on Wednesday that if the United States allowed Ukraine to conduct long-range missile strikes then Russia would respond accordingly.
Peskov's comments came as the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday - a visit that Russia alleged was part of giving the Ukrainian authorities the permission to strike Russia using American long-range ATACMS missiles.
"Most likely, of course, all these decisions have already been made. This can be assumed with a high degree of probability," Peskov commented during a media briefing on Wednesday while responding to reports of potential strikes by Ukraine on Russian soil.
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"At the moment, the media is simply conducting an information campaign to formalize the decision that has already been made," Peskov was quoted as saying by Russia's TASS news agency.
At a news conference in London on Tuesday, Blinken emphasised the critical juncture in the Russia-Ukraine conflict as Kyiv continues its counteroffensive amid heightened Russian aggression.
"It's a critical moment for Ukraine in the midst of an intense fall fighting season," Blinken said.
Ukraine has been pressing its allies to provide advanced weaponry capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal reiterated this appeal during his meeting with Lammy, expressing hope for Western support.
"We hope that long-range equipment for strikes on the territory of our enemy will be reached, and we will have it," Shmyhal said.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Shmyhal argued that Ukraine should be allowed to target military installations in Russia, stating that such actions would enhance the "safety of Ukrainian civilians."
US President Joe Biden has also confirmed that his administration is working on lifting restrictions on Ukrainian strikes deep within Russian territory, further indicating Western alignment with Kyiv's military objectives.