Russia warns Germany against supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine

Russia said Thursday it would treat Ukrainian strikes on transport infrastructure using German Taurus long-range missiles as “direct participation” in the conflict by Berlin.

The warning came after Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said he was open to supplying them to Kyiv
The Taurus supplies risked further escalation in the more than three-years-old conflict
MOSCOW: Russia said Thursday it would treat Ukrainian strikes on transport infrastructure using German Taurus long-range missiles as “direct participation” in the conflict by Berlin.
The warning came after Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said he was open to supplying them to Kyiv.

A Taurus “strike against any Russian facility of critical transport infrastructure… all of this would be regarded as direct participation of Germany in hostilities,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told journalists.

Zakharova: Russia will consider any strike with Taurus missiles on Russian targets as Germany’s involvement in hostilities on Ukraine’s side

Recently, Merz suggested supplying these missiles to Kyiv. pic.twitter.com/4nL685H4SK

The Kremlin issued a similar warning to Berlin on Monday, saying the Taurus supplies risked further escalation in the more than three-years-old conflict.
Outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz had ruled out sending the missiles to Kyiv, but Merz said on Sunday he was open to the idea provided Germany agreed it with its European partners.

Britain has already said it will support Germany if it decides to send the missiles.
Russia has long criticized Western countries for supplying long-range weapons to Ukraine, arguing Kyiv uses them to strike targets deep inside Russian territory.
Both the United States and the UK have supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine.