By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that allowing Kyiv to conduct long-range strikes against his country using Western weapons would mean NATO's direct involvement in the war in Ukraine.
"If this decision (allowing long-range strikes inside Russia using Western weapons) is made, it will mean nothing less than the direct participation of NATO countries, the United States, and European countries in the war in Ukraine," Putin told reporters following a forum in the city of St. Petersburg.
Putin claimed that the Ukrainian military is not capable of striking Russia with Western long-range weapons, and that this is only possible with the use of intelligence obtained from satellites belonging to NATO.
He further claimed the instructions for such weapons can only be entered by NATO military personnel, meaning that discussion on this matter raises a question of "whether NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict or not."
"This, of course, significantly changes the very essence, the very nature of the conflict (in Ukraine)," Putin went on to say.
"This will mean that NATO countries, the United States, and European countries are fighting Russia. And if this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us," he added.