Russian security director responds to German missile allegations

(MENAFN) Russia has warned it may reconsider its own military constraints in response to Germany’s decision to remove limits on how Ukraine can use German-supplied missiles, according to Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu.

Earlier this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that there were “no longer any range restrictions” on Western weapons provided to Ukraine, including from Germany, the UK, France, and the U.S. He also suggested that sending Taurus missiles—which have a 500km range and could strike targets deep inside Russia, including Moscow—was now "possible."

Shoigu criticized the West’s shifting stance on long-range weapons, referencing inconsistent statements from various leaders. “They say one thing, then another. Did you lift the restrictions or not?” he asked during a Thursday conference, warning that Russia, too, could remove its own self-imposed limitations in retaliation, though he didn’t specify what measures that might involve.

Germany’s shift marks a notable departure from former Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s more cautious approach, which avoided deep strikes into Russian territory to prevent escalation. Merz, however, reaffirmed Germany’s full support for Ukraine’s weapons production, including the manufacture of long-range arms on Ukrainian soil, backed by €5.2 billion ($5.6 billion) in new military aid.

Russian diplomat Rodion Miroshnik declared that any weapons factories set up in Ukraine with German assistance would become “legitimate targets” and would face “unequivocal destruction.” He further accused Berlin of deliberately prolonging the conflict for political reasons, suggesting the move aims to deflect attention from domestic issues rather than pursue peace.

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