Russia Warns NATO: Retaliation Looms Amid Missile Strike Tensions

Russia's foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin cautions NATO countries against aiding Ukraine in long-range missile strikes. He emphasizes Russia's lowered nuclear threshold and determination to defend its interests, viewing these moves as limiting Western military options and complications arising from U.S.-backed attacks on Russian territory.

In a stark warning, Russia's foreign intelligence head, Sergei Naryshkin, declared that NATO countries aiding Ukraine in conducting long-range missile strikes on Russian soil would face retaliatory actions. His comments came in an interview published Wednesday, underscoring the fragile geopolitical climate.

With President Vladimir Putin announcing changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine, Naryshkin emphasized the perceived impossibility of defeating Russia on the battlefield. He noted the limited options available to Washington and Brussels due to Putin's resolute stance on defending Russian interests by any means necessary.

Ukraine executed missile strikes on Russian territory using U.S.-supplied weapons following the Biden administration's recent approval. This action aligns with the ongoing tensions marked by Russia's newly approved policy on nuclear weaponry, signaling a lowered threshold for their use amidst conventional weapon attacks on its land.

(With inputs from agencies.)