The Russian military has warned it could strike Ukrainian “decision-making centers” in the Ukrainian capital and said wouldn’t be stopped by the possible presence of Western advisers there.
The Russian Defense Ministry yesterday accused the U.K. of making statements encouraging Ukraine to use Western weapons to carry out strikes on the Russian territory, warning that if it happens the Russian military could retaliate by hitting government structures in Kyiv.
It directly pointed at U.K. Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey, who told Times Radio that it was “not necessarily a problem” if Ukraine British-donated weapons were used to hit sites on Russian soil.
The ministry said in a statement that “the Russian armed forces are ready to deal retaliatory strikes with long-range precision guided weapons on Kiev centers that would make such decisions.” It noted that “the presence of citizens of one of Western countries in the Ukrainian decision-making centers won’t necessarily pose a problem for Russia in making a decision to launch retaliatory action.”
The Russian military so far has avoided striking presidential, government and military headquarters in Kiev during its campaign in Ukraine that has entered a third month.
Meanwhile, UN chief has pushed for safe corridors in Ukraine during his visit to Moscow. Mr. Antonio Guterres yesterday called for Moscow and Kiev to set up aid and evacuation corridors in Ukraine ‘that are truly safe’.
“We urgently need humanitarian corridors that are truly safe and effective,” UN chief told a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“Thousands of civilians are in dire need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance, and many have evacuated,” Guterres said at the news conference.
