Russia Issues Strong Warning as US Weighs Supplying Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine
The Kremlin cautions that potential US missile delivery could trigger a new level of escalation in the Ukraine conflict
By Orlin Milinov
MOSCOW — The Kremlin has voiced deep concern over growing reports that the United States may supply Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles, warning that such a move could mark a “dramatic escalation” in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, speaking on Russian state television, said the mere discussion of Tomahawk deliveries highlights the increasingly volatile state of the conflict. “Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides,” he stated.
The remarks came amid reports that Washington is considering sending Tomahawk missiles—capable of striking targets up to 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) away—to Kyiv. If deployed, these missiles could enable Ukraine to target deep inside Russian territory, including the capital, Moscow.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had “sort of made a decision” on whether to provide the missiles, but noted that he first wanted assurances on how Ukraine would use them, emphasizing he did not wish to escalate the conflict further.
According to the US Congressional Research Service, some older variants of Tomahawk missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, adding another layer of concern for Moscow.
Peskov cautioned that if such missiles were launched at Russia, the Kremlin would have to assume the possibility of a nuclear payload. “Just imagine: a long-range missile is launched and is flying, and we know that it could be nuclear. What should the Russian Federation think? Just how should Russia react? Military experts overseas should understand this,” he warned.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also said that the use of Tomahawks in Ukraine would be impossible without direct involvement from US military personnel, describing such a scenario as a “qualitatively new stage of escalation.”
The Financial Times reported on Sunday that US intelligence has been aiding Ukraine in conducting long-range drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure by helping Kyiv plan routes, altitudes, and timing to bypass Russian air defenses.
Putin has consistently framed the war as a defining moment in Russia’s struggle against Western dominance, accusing NATO of encroaching on Moscow’s sphere of influence since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Ukraine and its Western allies, meanwhile, continue to characterize Russia’s invasion as an unprovoked act of aggression aimed at territorial expansion.
As tensions rise, analysts warn that the introduction of long-range US weaponry could drastically shift the conflict’s trajectory, drawing the world’s major powers closer to direct confrontation.
