The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is reaching a critical level as foreign missiles are used for targeted strikes, threatening to lead to a confrontation between the nuclear powers. The Russian envoy has warned that Ukraine’s use of foreign missiles could lead to a collision between the nuclear powers, following permission from Ukraine’s Western allies to use long-range missiles to strike inside Russia.
Andrei Kelin, the Russian ambassador to the UK, expressed concern in an interview with Sky News, accusing the US and British governments of contributing to the escalation of the situation despite warnings from Moscow. He said the deliberate decision by the US, France and the UK to encourage the strikes constituted a serious escalation of the situation.
Russia claimed to have shot down two British-made Storm Shadow missiles, without specifying the locations or dates of the incidents, thus drawing the UK directly into the conflict. According to Kelin, British involvement has become unavoidable given the involvement of NATO personnel and British forces in the military operations.
The Kremlin has retaliated by launching a new intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine, in response to Kyiv’s use of US and British missiles capable of striking deeper into Russia, as President Vladimir Putin has said. In a televised address, he warned that US air defense systems would be powerless against the new missile, which flies ten times faster than the speed of sound, nicknamed Oreshnik (Russian for hazelnut). Putin also stressed that the missile could be used to attack any Ukrainian ally that uses missiles against Russia.
This armed conflict therefore raises fears of a dangerous escalation between Russia and Ukraine, with potentially devastating consequences for the region. The decisions taken by the various parties could have dire repercussions not only for the two countries in conflict, but also for global stability. It remains to be hoped that dialogue and diplomacy will prevail to avoid the worst possible scenario.