The Kremlin has issued a stark warning over the possible transfer of U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, describing the situation as a “dramatic moment” in the war and accusing Washington of pushing the conflict toward dangerous escalation.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state television on Sunday that the mere discussion of supplying Tomahawks—a long-range cruise missile capable of striking targets up to 2,500 kilometers away—was deeply alarming. “Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides,” Peskov said.
The concern stems from the missile’s reach, which would allow Ukraine to target deep inside Russian territory, including Moscow. Some retired variants of the Tomahawk are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service—a detail Peskov emphasized in his remarks. “Just imagine: a long-range missile is launched and is flying and we know that it could be nuclear. What should the Russian Federation think?” he asked, warning that military planners in the West must grasp the implications.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that deploying Tomahawks in Ukraine would require direct U.S. military involvement, and would mark a “qualitatively new stage of escalation.” The Kremlin’s rhetoric reflects growing alarm over what it sees as creeping Western intervention in a war it now openly describes as a “hot” conflict with NATO.
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking Monday, said he had “sort of made a decision” on the matter but would first seek clarity on Ukraine’s intended use of the missiles. He emphasized his reluctance to escalate the war further.
Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported that the U.S. has already been assisting Ukraine in executing long-range drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. The report claims American intelligence has helped Kyiv with route planning, timing, and altitude adjustments to evade Russian air defenses—an assertion likely to inflame tensions further.
The war in Ukraine, now the deadliest in Europe since World War II, has become a geopolitical flashpoint reminiscent of the Cold War’s most perilous moments. Putin continues to frame the conflict as a response to decades of Western encroachment, particularly NATO’s expansion into what Moscow considers its sphere of influence.
Ukraine and its allies reject that narrative, calling Russia’s invasion an imperialist land grab and pledging to defeat Russian forces. As both sides dig in, the prospect of advanced U.S. weaponry entering the battlefield threatens to push the war into even more volatile territory.
