ATACMS Missile Attack on Bryansk Shows West Wants Escalation: Lavrov
Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov. X/ @kocovich
November 19, 2024 Hour: 10:32 am
Previously, Ukraine’s General Staff reported an attack on a Russian military arsenal without specifying the weapons used.
On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov responded to the missile strikes on Bryansk by stating that the West seeks an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.
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“This is a sign that they are looking for escalation,” said the head of Russian diplomacy during a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he is attending the Group of Twenty (G20) summit.
He emphasized that without the involvement of U.S. specialists, it would be impossible to operate the American-made ATACMS ballistic missiles that struck the Russian border region of Bryansk last night.
Lavrov referred to earlier remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had spoken about NATO’s direct involvement in the war if attacks on Russian territory using Western long-range weapons were authorized. The Russian diplomat also mentioned that Putin approved the new Russian nuclear doctrine today, expressing confidence that Western leaders would “study it carefully.”
The doctrine, which replaces the one adopted in 2020, permits a nuclear strike if an enemy’s conventional attack poses a “critical threat to the sovereignty and/or territorial integrity” of the member states of the Russia-Belarus State Union. Additionally, it classifies as a “joint attack” any aggression by a non-nuclear state that is supported—whether directly involved or not—by a nuclear power.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed Ukraine’s use of ATACMS missiles in an attack on a military facility in Russian territory. Five missiles were intercepted, and fragments of a sixth missile landed on the grounds of a military facility in Bryansk, causing no casualties or damage.
Previously, Ukraine’s General Staff had reported a successful attack on a Russian military arsenal in Bryansk without specifying the weapons used. On Sunday, U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Kyiv to use long-range missiles against targets in Russian territory.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE