Putin Claims Right to Strike Countries Allowing Use of Weapons Against Russia

Russian leader Vladimir Putin Putin declared that Russia considers itself entitled to use force against the territories of countries that allow the use of their weapons against Russian targets.

“It is not Russia, but the United States, that has destroyed the international security system and, by clinging to its hegemony, is pushing the entire world toward nuclear conflict. Russia believes it has the right to use weapons against the territories of countries that allow the use of their weapons against Russian targets,” Putin said.

Putin also stated that the war in Ukraine "has taken on elements of a global nature" after the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck Russian territory with Western long-range missiles. However, he claims that this "cannot affect the course" of the fighting in Ukraine, as the Russian military is "advancing along the entire front line."