Russia has issued a warning that it will take down any Tomahawk cruise missiles and obliterate their launch sites if Donald Trump decides to supply these weapons to Ukraine. This threat was made by a senior Russian lawmaker in response to Trump’s comments indicating a potential decision to provide the 1,600-mile range missiles to Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces. The Russian parliament’s defense committee head, Andrei Kartapolov, emphasized that Russia’s reaction, if the Tomahawk deal proceeds, will be severe and unconventional. Kartapolov also downplayed NATO allies’ belief that the missiles could significantly impact the situation in Ukraine, highlighting the limited quantity that could be sent due to infrastructure constraints.
Furthermore, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov expressed disappointment that the positive momentum following Putin and Trump’s meeting in August had dissipated, blaming European allies for disruptive actions. The escalating tensions were demonstrated when Russia reportedly damaged a Ukrainian thermal power plant in an overnight attack, resulting in injuries to two workers, as part of Moscow’s efforts to restrict essential supplies to Ukraine during the approaching winter.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin, who recently turned 73, commenced a state visit in Tajikistan for a series of meetings with leaders from former Soviet Union nations. The Human Rights Watch NGO called on nations to arrest Putin under the 2023 International Criminal Court warrant for war crimes, cautioning against disregarding the suffering of victims affected by Russian forces’ actions in Ukraine.