'Very dramatic moment' — Moscow concerned over possible Tomahawk missiles supplies to Ukraine
The potential supply of U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine has raised "extreme concern" in the Kremlin, which warned that the war has reached a "very dramatic moment" with tensions escalating from all sides.
"The topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said and added that "Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides."
U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the matter on Oct. 6, saying he would need to know Ukraine's intended use for the missiles before agreeing to provide them, as he does not wish to escalate the war. He did indicate, however, that he had "sort of made a decision" on the issue.
The Tomahawk is a subsonic, long-range cruise missile designed for precision strikes. With a range of 1,600 to 2,500 kilometers (995 to 1,550 miles), it would allow Kyiv to reach targets as far as Siberia.
Meanwhile Peskov highlighted what he called the grave implications of this range, noting that some older versions of the missile are nuclear-capable, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
"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," Peskov said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously warned that providing these missiles would be a "qualitatively new stage of escalation," claiming they cannot be used without the direct involvement of U.S. military personnel.
The escalating confrontation is the deadliest in Europe since World War Two, with Russian officials viewing it as a "hot" conflict with the West. The war is framed by Putin as a pivotal point stemming from what he describes as the West's post-1991 humiliation of Russia, while Ukraine and its allies condemn it as an act of imperial-style land seizure.
