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Russia issued another threat to the United States on Thursday, saying it would cross the “red line” if the United States supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine.
Russia “reserves the right to defend its territory,” Foreign Minister Maria Zakharova told a news conference, Reuters reported.
The United States has already provided Ukraine with 16 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), and plans to add more. They have a range of approximately 50 miles.
Ukraine is pushing the front line further east and is asking the United States and other countries for more help to retake territories in the northern Kharkov region.
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For months, Kyiv has insisted it needs a long-range missile capability, such as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) with a range of about 185 miles, to cover a line of about 1,500 miles.
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A long-range missile system could also prove beneficial to the Ukrainian military. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops would not stop resisting Russia until all of Ukraine, including Crimea, which Russia has occupied since 2014, is liberated.
“If Washington decides to supply long-range missiles to Kyiv, it will cross the red line and become a direct party to the conflict.
The White House has pledged to continue providing military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, but has repeatedly said it is not ready to send specific missile systems like ATACMS.
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The Biden administration has said it will not fire on Russian territory, citing concerns over triggering a third world war that Ukraine mocks.
The dispute over Crimea is likely to be an uphill battle as Russia sees it as a claim since it invaded nearly a decade ago.