Russia’s Medvedev says supplying US Tomahawks to Ukraine could end badly for all, especially Trump

MOSCOW – Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said on Oct 13 that supplying US Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could end badly for everyone, especially US President Donald Trump.

Mr Medvedev, an arch-hawk who has repeatedly goaded Mr Trump on social media, said it is impossible to distinguish between Tomahawk missiles carrying nuclear warheads and conventional ones after they are launched – a point that President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has also made.

“How should Russia respond? Exactly” Mr Medvedev said on Telegram, appearing to hint that Moscow’s response would be nuclear.

Mr Trump said again on Oct 12 that he may offer long-range Tomahawk missiles
that could be used by Kyiv if Mr Putin does not end the war in Ukraine.

“Yeah, I might tell him (Putin), if the war is not settled, we may very well do it,” Mr Trump said. “We may not, but we may do it... Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so.”

Mr Medvedev wrote: “One can only hope that this is another empty threat... Like sending nuclear submarines closer to Russia.”

He was alluding to Mr Trump’s statement in August that he had ordered two nuclear subs to move closer to Russia in response to what he called “highly provocative” comments from Mr Medvedev about the risk of war.

Mr Putin has said supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks – which have a range of 2,500km and could therefore strike anywhere within European Russia, including Moscow – would destroy relations between the United States and Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would only use Tomahawk missiles for military purposes and not attack civilians in Russia
, should the US provide them. REUTERS