You Are Playing with Fire’: Russia Warns the US of World War III Risks if Ukraine Strikes Deep into Russian Territory
Russia has issued a stark warning to the West, particularly the United States, about the dangers of allowing Ukraine to launch deep strikes into Russian territory with Western missiles. On Tuesday, Russian officials cautioned that such actions could potentially escalate into World War III, with consequences extending beyond Europe.
The warning follows Ukraine’s recent attack on Russia’s Kursk region on August 6, marking one of the most significant foreign assaults on Russia since World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised a strong response to the incursion.
Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s long-serving foreign minister, accused the West of seeking to escalate the conflict and “asking for trouble” by considering Ukrainian requests to lift the restrictions on using foreign-supplied weapons for attacks within Russia.
Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Putin has frequently warned about the risks of a larger global conflict involving major nuclear powers, though he has stated that Russia does not seek a direct conflict with NATO.
Lavrov emphasized the danger of “playing with fire” and criticized Western nations for their handling of nuclear weapons. “Americans believe that any talk of World War III will only affect Europe if it happens,” Lavrov said.
He also noted that Russia is reassessing its nuclear strategy, which in its 2020 doctrine permits the use of nuclear weapons if the existence of the state is under threat.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently argued that the attack on Kursk demonstrates that Russia’s threats of retaliation and nuclear escalation are bluffs. Zelenskyy urged Western allies to be more decisive in supporting Ukraine by relaxing restrictions on weapon usage to target Russian military positions more effectively.
