Russian Official Warns of Potential World War III if US Allows Ukraine to Attack Deep into Russian Territory

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has issued a stark warning to the United States and its Western allies, cautioning that allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory with Western-supplied missiles could escalate into World War III.

Lavrov emphasized that such actions were akin to "playing with fire," underlining the severe risks involved.

Lavrov's comments came during a press conference in Moscow, where he reiterated that the West was "asking for trouble" by considering Ukrainian requests to loosen curbs on using foreign-supplied weapons.

He stated, "We are now confirming once again that playing with fire - and they are like small children playing with matches - is a very dangerous thing for grown-up uncles and aunts who are entrusted with nuclear weapons in one or another Western country."

The backdrop to these warnings includes Ukraine's recent attack on Russia's western Kursk region on August 6, 2024, which marked the most powerful foreign assault on Russian soil since World War II.

President Vladimir Putin vowed a "worthy response" to this incursion, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

Lavrov also pointed out that Russia was clarifying its nuclear doctrine, which, according to the 2020 guidelines, permits the use of nuclear weapons in response to attacks involving nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or conventional weapons when the state's very existence is threatened.

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and a massive refugee crisis.

The war has seen Ukraine receiving substantial military support from Western nations, including British tanks and U.S. rocket systems, which have been used in operations like the one in Kursk.

Despite these developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for even bolder decisions from allies, arguing that current restrictions prevent Ukraine from effectively targeting some Russian military assets. Washington, however, maintains that it was not informed about Ukraine's plans ahead of the Kursk operation and did not participate in it.