Zelensky’s representative called Moscow a legitimate military target of Ukraine

Ukraine will not guarantee non-use of military equipment supplied by the West against targets in Russia, declared in an interview with the German newspaper Bild, a representative of President Volodymyr Zelensky, a deputy of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Fyodor Venislavsky.

“Some Western experts have an opinion that Ukraine should guarantee that its military equipment will not be used on the territory of the Russian Federation. This idea came from a parallel world,” Venislavsky said.

According to the politician, “legitimate military targets” for Ukraine are “places where Russia stores its missiles.” “Any command post in the Russian capital is a legitimate military target. I don’t see any problems in attacking them,” Venislavsky said in response to a journalist’s question whether this concerns Moscow. Zelenskiy’s spokesman added that the decision on whether Ukraine would attack them “remains with the military leadership.”

February 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin at a concert in honor of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Stalingrad declaredthat Russia does not send its tanks to the borders of Western countries, while Western countries decided to supply them to Ukraine, “but we have something to answer, and the use of armored vehicles will not end.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with Rossiya Segodnya CEO Dmitry Kiselev pointed outthat the greater the range of weapons that the West supplies to Kyiv, the further they need to be moved away from Russian territories.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev in an interview with journalist Nadana Friedrichson declaredthat Moscow’s response to Ukraine’s strikes “with the permission of the United States” in Crimea or deep into the country “can be anything”, which Putin said “quite definitely”. “We do not set ourselves any restrictions and, depending on the nature of the threats, we are ready to use all types of weapons. In accordance with our doctrinal documents, including the Fundamentals of Nuclear Deterrence. I can assure you: the answer will be quick, tough and convincing,” the politician said.

The Russian authorities have repeatedly criticized the supply of Western weapons to Kyiv. In particular, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, warned that pumping Ukraine with weapons brings NATO closer to the dangerous line of a direct military clash with Russia. In January 2023, Germany and the United States announced the supply of tanks to Kyiv: Germany will send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, the United States – 31 Abrams. In addition, Berlin will also allow the allies to send their Leopard 2 to Ukraine. Great Britain also announced the sending of tanks to Ukraine.