German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Russia's use of a new experimental missile in Ukraine a "terrible escalation", defending his government's policy on the conflict, DPA reported, BTA reported.
Sholz said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's authorization of the strike that hit the city of Dnieper in central Ukraine yesterday was "a terrible escalation, just like the use of North Korean soldiers who are now deploying and dying in this war for Putin's imperial dream". However, the German chancellor insisted that his government's refusal to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles to be used for attacks deep inside Russian territory was the right decision.
Sholz stressed the need to ensure that the conflict in Ukraine does not escalate into a full-scale war between Russia and NATO, calling for prudence. "I stand by my words", he added.
The Kremlin said today that it was certain that the United States "understood" the message of Russian President Vladimir Putin in his address yesterday, in which he took responsibility for the launch of a new missile designed to carry a nuclear warhead against Ukraine and threatened the West, reported Agence France-Presse.
"Yesterday's address was very, very comprehensive, clear, logical", said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov at his daily briefing. "Therefore, we have no doubt that the current government in Washington had the opportunity to familiarize itself with this statement and understand it," Peskov said today after yesterday's high-tension day.
In this surprise address, broadcast on Russian television, Vladimir Putin said that the war in Ukraine had already acquired "the characteristics of a global conflict," warning Western countries that Russia was "ready for all" scenarios. He also indicated that Moscow reserved the right to strike Western countries that allowed Ukraine to use its weapons on Russian territory.