Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that supplying US Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could trigger a “whole new level of escalation”, including in relations between Moscow and Washington. Speaking at a forum in Sochi, Putin said that it would not alter the situation on the battlefield, where the Russian army is making slow but steady advances. “Using Tomahawks without the direct participation of American military personnel is impossible. This would mark a completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the United States,” Putin said at the forum. However, few hours after Putin’s warning, Reuters reported that the Trump administration’s plan to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine may be unfeasible because current inventories are committed to the US navy and other uses.A US official told Reuters that there was no shortage of the Tomahawk missile, which the military frequently uses for land attack missions, suggesting that alternative shorter-distance weapons could be provided to Kyiv. The official added that the US may consider allowing European allies to purchase other long-range weapons and supply them to Ukraine, but Tomahawks were unlikely. In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has significantly shifted his rhetoric regarding the war in Ukraine, suggesting Kyiv could retake all the land Russia has seized and describing the Russian military as a “paper tiger.” One tangible outcome of this new stance is the US decision to assist Ukraine in targeting Russian energy infrastructure. A new financial mechanism, the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), has been developed by the US and its allies to supply Ukraine with new weapons and those from US stocks using funds from Nato countries. Supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could significantly expand its strike capabilities, enabling it to hit targets deep inside Russian territory, including military bases, logistics hubs, airfields, and command centres that are currently beyond reach. The Kremlin said on Thursday that if the US provides Tomahawks to Ukraine, it would trigger a new round of dangerous escalation between Russia and the West. According to Pentagon budget documents, the US Navy, the primary user of the Tomahawk, has thus far purchased 8,959 missiles at an average price of Rs 10.8 crore each. The Tomahawk missile has been in production since the mid-1980s. In recent years, production has ranged from 55 to 90 per year. According to Pentagon budget data, the US plans to buy 57 missiles in 2026.
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