Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed claims that U.S.-supplied Tomahawk cruise missiles would alter the course of the Ukraine conflict, suggesting Washington is pushing these reports to placate its European allies. Speaking at a press conference in Sochi, Lavrov emphasized that the Kremlin remains unfazed by the potential deployment of these long-range missiles in Ukraine.

“The Kremlin has made it clear: Tomahawks in Ukraine won’t shift the battlefield dynamics,” Lavrov stated, as reported by TASS. He argued that the missiles, despite their advanced capabilities, would not change Russia’s strategic advantage in the ongoing war. The Kremlin doubled down on its stance, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s remarks about conducting long-range strikes deep into Russian territory. Peskov called such statements “provocative” and warned they could escalate tensions further.

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Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a stark warning, accusing the Zelenskyy administration of orchestrating desperate measures to avoid “inevitable military defeat.” According to an SVR statement, Ukraine is attempting to provoke NATO’s European members into direct conflict with Russia. The agency claimed Kyiv, with Polish intelligence support, is planning a false-flag operation involving a sabotage group posing as Russian and Belarusian special forces. This group, allegedly composed of anti-Russian and anti-Belarusian militants, aims to stage terror attacks in Poland to frame Moscow and Minsk for destabilizing a NATO member state.

“Ukraine’s provocations, including drone incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace, are designed to drag NATO into war,” the SVR stated, alleging that these actions risk sparking a “major war” in Europe. The statement underscored Russia’s belief that Kyiv is resorting to extreme tactics as its military position weakens.

Lavrov’s remarks and the SVR’s accusations highlight the deepening rift between Russia and the West, as both sides accuse each other of escalating the conflict. With no resolution in sight, the potential introduction of Tomahawk missiles adds another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation.

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