Joe Biden Accused of Risking World War III With Missile Decision, Say Russian Lawmakers

 In late October, President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia's defense ministry was exploring various response options if the United States and its NATO allies supported Ukraine in conducting deep strikes into Russian territory using long-range Western missiles.

**Moscow Warns Biden's Missile Decision Risks World War III**  

Russian officials have condemned the Biden administration's reported decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-made long-range missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory, warning of grave consequences and potential escalation into a global conflict.  

Russian lawmaker Maria Butina criticized the move on Monday, accusing President Joe Biden of recklessly escalating tensions. "Biden's administration is pushing this situation to the brink while they remain in power," Butina told Reuters. "I hope that [Donald] Trump will reverse this decision if it has indeed been made, as it risks igniting World War III—something no one wants."  

Reports from *Reuters* and *The New York Times* have suggested that the Biden administration has approved such strikes, though the Kremlin has yet to issue an official response.  

Russian officials expressed strong disapproval. Andrei Klishas, a senior member of the Federation Council, Russia's upper parliamentary chamber, warned on Telegram that "this level of escalation could leave Ukraine's statehood in ruins by morning." Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy head of the international affairs committee in the Federation Council, cautioned that Moscow's reaction would be swift and severe, calling the decision "a major step toward World War III," according to the state-run TASS news agency.  

Leonid Slutsky, head of the State Duma's foreign affairs committee, said that U.S.-approved strikes using ATACMS tactical missiles would provoke "the toughest possible response." He warned that such actions could escalate into "much more serious consequences."  

President Vladimir Putin had previously said that NATO's involvement in facilitating Ukrainian missile strikes would equate to direct participation in the conflict. He reiterated in October that Russia's defense ministry was preparing responses to counter these potential threats.  

Maria Butina, who served prison time in the U.S. as an unregistered Russian agent and now serves in the State Duma, echoed the alarm. "Some in the United States seem so disconnected that they simply do not care about the catastrophic risks this entails," she said.  

Putin has also updated Russia's nuclear doctrine to permit a nuclear response in the event of a direct Western attack. The decision to permit such missile strikes, critics argue, dangerously inches closer to that threshold.....Read More