Alwaght- Russia would immediately strike the decision making centers of Ukraine if the latter attacks Crimea, warned Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.
Ukraine’s armed forces command is plotting to deliver strikes on Russian territory, including Crimea, with HIMARS rockets and Storm Shadow missiles, reported Russian Tass news agency, citing the defense chief.
“According to our data, the leadership of the Ukrainian armed forces is planning to deliver strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation, including Crimea, with HIMARS [rockets] and Storm Shadow missiles," Tass quoted him as saying.
The top military official stressed that the use of these weapons outside of the special military operation zone would trigger immediate strikes by Russia on decision-making centers in Ukraine and would imply the full-fledged involvement of the US and Britain in the conflict.
Russia launched heavy air and missile strikes on Ukrainian civil and military infrastructure in October last year when an explosion which Russia said was plotted by Ukraine targeted a bridge linking Crimea Peninsula to mainland Russia.
Over the past two weeks, Ukraine has been carrying out a Western-sponsored counteroffensive in eastern areas Russia annexed last year.
The Russian warning to respond with strikes on decision making sites in case of a Ukrainian attack on Crimea could be a new development in the war and may trigger deeper Western involvement in the conflict.