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Russia prepared to strike Germany in response to Taurus attacks – senior MP Russia prepared to strike Germany if Taurus missiles are used – senior MP
(about 2 hours later)
Ukraine cannot operate the long-range missile without German assistance, Andrey Kartapolov has saidUkraine cannot operate the long-range missile without German assistance, Andrey Kartapolov has said
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. 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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
Kartapolov told the Life.ru outlet on Wednesday that Russia is “ready for everything” and will respond to the possible shipments of Taurus missiles to Kiev. In an interview with Life.ru on Wednesday, Kartapolov said Moscow is “ready for everything” if Germany proceeds with such a transfer.
“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. ”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 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. The Taurus KEPD 350 missile has a range of over 500 kilometers and is capable of reaching targets deep within Russian territory, including Moscow.
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. 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.
“If Germany transfers these missiles. Then, naturally, there will be German specialists on the ground” making sure that they can be launched, Kartapolov said. ”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 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.” 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.
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.” 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.”