Latest news with #TaurusMissiles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Putin cautions Germany over any Taurus missile supplies to Ukraine
ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday cautioned Germany that Moscow would consider it to be directly involved in the war in Ukraine if Berlin supplied Kyiv with Taurus cruise missiles, but said he was ready to speak to Chancellor Friedrich Merz. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said earlier this month that Germany is not considering delivering Taurus cruise missiles, which have a range in excess of 300 miles (480 km), to Ukraine despite Kyiv's repeated requests. Putin said that to fire the Taurus missiles, Ukraine would need Western satellite intelligence and German officers to take care of targeting which, if they were fired at Russia, would mean German officers striking Russian territory. "What is this, if not the involvement of the Federal Republic in a direct armed conflict with the Russian Federation? It can't be called anything else," Putin told senior news agency editors in the northern Russian city of St Petersburg. Putin added that even if Germany did supply the missiles, it would have no impact on the ultimate course of the war, adding that Russian troops were advancing in all directions. Asked if he was willing to speak to Merz, Putin, a fluent German speaker who served as a KGB spy in former East Germany, said he was ready to. "If the Federal Chancellor wants to call and talk, I have already said this many times - we do not refuse any contacts. And we are always open to this," Putin said. Putin added, though, that he did not consider that Germany was a neutral mediator when it came to the war in Ukraine given the presence of German tanks on the battlefield. "We consider the Federal Republic, just like many other European countries, not a neutral state, but as a party supporting Ukraine, and in some cases, perhaps, as accomplices in these hostilities," Putin said.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Putin cautions Germany over any Taurus missile supplies to Ukraine
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, June 19 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday cautioned Germany that Moscow would consider it to be directly involved in the war in Ukraine if Berlin supplied Kyiv with Taurus cruise missiles, but said he was ready to speak to Chancellor Friedrich Merz. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said earlier this month that Germany is not considering delivering Taurus cruise missiles, which have a range in excess of 300 miles (480 km), to Ukraine despite Kyiv's repeated requests. Putin said that to fire the Taurus missiles, Ukraine would need Western satellite intelligence and German officers to take care of targeting which, if they were fired at Russia, would mean German officers striking Russian territory. "What is this, if not the involvement of the Federal Republic in a direct armed conflict with the Russian Federation? It can't be called anything else," Putin told senior news agency editors in the northern Russian city of St Petersburg. Putin added that even if Germany did supply the missiles, it would have no impact on the ultimate course of the war, adding that Russian troops were advancing in all directions. Asked if he was willing to speak to Merz, Putin, a fluent German speaker who served as a KGB spy in former East Germany, said he was ready to. "If the Federal Chancellor wants to call and talk, I have already said this many times - we do not refuse any contacts. And we are always open to this," Putin said. Putin added, though, that he did not consider that Germany was a neutral mediator when it came to the war in Ukraine given the presence of German tanks on the battlefield. "We consider the Federal Republic, just like many other European countries, not a neutral state, but as a party supporting Ukraine, and in some cases, perhaps, as accomplices in these hostilities," Putin said.
Russia Today
30-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Russian security chief reacts to German missile claims
Moscow has the means to respond to Berlin's decision to lift the range restrictions on Ukrainian strikes with missiles provided by Germany, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has said. Earlier this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz claimed that 'there are no longer any range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine, neither from the British nor the French, nor from us, nor from the Americans.' In a separate interview on Wednesday, Merz said deliveries of German Taurus missiles – which have a range of 500km and could potentially reach Moscow – to Kiev is 'in the realm of possible.' Speaking at a conference on Thursday, Shoigu highlighted the inconsistency of Ukraine's Western backers regarding the use of long-range weapons. The administration of former US President Joe Biden lifted the restrictions on long-range attacks last November, with the UK and France following suit shortly afterwards. Since then, the Russian military has repelled a number of strikes against its territory, which included US-supplied ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles. Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was reluctant to approve deep strikes into Russia or to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles over fears of escalation. 'There are many statements. They are all different. First, they say that they had lifted it, then they say that they did not. Then they say that they did it long ago… So, did you lift it or not?' Shoigu said, adding: 'we can also lift limitations on some things. I will not expand on this, but we have our own restrictions that we can remove in response.' The chancellor, who welcomed Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky in Berlin on Wednesday, also said Germany will help Kiev with the production of long-range weaponry inside Ukraine. According to the German Defense Ministry, a large part of the country's newly announced €5.2 billion ($5.6 billion) military aid for Ukraine will be allocated for the project. High-ranking Russian diplomat Rodion Miroshnik stressed on Friday that any weapons production facilities in Ukraine are legitimate targets for the Russian military, and are subject to 'unequivocal destruction.' Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large tasked with documenting Kiev's alleged war crimes, also said Berlin's recent moves show that they 'are not looking for peace, [but are] trying in every possible way to continue the Ukraine conflict, to continue the bloodshed' in order to distract the people from the problems in their own country.
Russia Today
30-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Russia prepared to strike Germany if Taurus missiles are used
Russia could authorize strikes on German territory if Ukraine uses German-supplied Taurus cruise missiles to attack Russian targets, a senior Russian lawmaker has warned. Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee and a former deputy defense minister, said the long-range missiles require direct German military involvement to operate—making Berlin a potential participant in any such attack. Speculation about a potential transfer of Taurus missiles to Kiev resurfaced this week after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukraine would be allowed to use Western-supplied weapons without range limitations. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Merz confirmed that delivering the Taurus system was 'possible,' though he added that Ukrainian forces would require 'several months of training' to use them effectively. In an interview with on Wednesday, Kartapolov said Moscow is 'ready for everything' if Germany proceeds with such a transfer. 'We are prepared to intercept the Taurus missiles, strike the launch sites, the operators, and, if necessary, the locations from which they are delivered,' he warned. The Taurus KEPD 350 missile has a range of over 500 kilometers and is capable of reaching targets deep within Russian territory, including Moscow. Kartapolov emphasized that Ukraine lacks the technical expertise to operate such weapons independently. He claimed that earlier deliveries of long-range systems—including the U.S.-made ATACMS, Britain's Storm Shadow, and France's SCALP—have only been deployed with the assistance of Western military specialists. 'Ukrainian troops can press the launch button—that's not the problem,' he said. 'But they cannot program the targets. That data comes from American and European satellites. If Germany supplies these missiles, German personnel will inevitably be involved on the ground.' The German Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that it would provide Kiev with an additional €5.2 billion ($5.6 billion) in military aid. Much of the funding, according to the ministry, will support the production of long-range weaponry inside Ukraine. Responding to the development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Berlin of crossing a dangerous line. 'Germany's direct involvement in the war is now obvious,' he said, adding that the country 'is sliding down the same slippery slope it already followed a couple of times in the last century—toward its own collapse.'
Russia Today
29-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Russia prepared to strike Germany in response to Taurus attacks
Russia could authorize strikes inside Germany if Ukraine receives and attacks it with German Taurus cruise missiles, a senior Russian lawmaker has warned. State Duma Defense Committee chairman Andrey Kartapolov insists that the weapon requires German military assistance to operate. Speculation that Germany could supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles, which can potentially reach Moscow, reemerged earlier this week after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Berlin and its partners had allowed Kiev to use Western weapons without any range restrictions. When asked by journalists on Wednesday about possible deliveries of the weapon, Merz replied that they are 'possible,' adding that Ukrainian troops would require 'several months of training' to be able to launch them. Kartapolov told the outlet on Wednesday that Russia is 'ready for everything' and will respond to the possible shipments of Taurus missiles to Kiev. 'We are ready to shoot down the Taurus', and to strike the places from where they would be launched and those who would launch them, and, if necessary, the places from where they would have been delivered,' he warned. The senior lawmaker, who is a former Russian deputy defense minister and holds the rank of colonel-general, stressed that the long-range missiles that had been earlier supplied to Ukraine by the US, UK and France – ATACMS, Storm Shadow and SCALP, respectively – can only be launched by their own specialists. This is because 'the Ukrainian military lacks experts capable of operating such equipment. That is, the Ukrainians can press the 'start' button - it is not a problem, but they cannot input the data,' which comes from American and Western European satellites, he explained. 'If Germany transfers these missiles. Then, naturally, there will be German specialists on the ground' making sure that they can be launched, Kartapolov said. The German Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that Berlin will give another $5.6 billion in military aid to Kiev, most of which will be used to 'finance the production of long-range weapon systems in Ukraine.' Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reacted to the development by saying that Berlin's 'direct involvement in the war is now obvious.' According to Lavrov, Germany 'is sliding down the same slippery slope it already followed a couple of times in the last century – down toward its own collapse.'
