Putin warns Russia could provide long-range weapons to allies to hit Western targets

President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday that Russia could provide long-range weapons to other countries to use against Western targets as tensions rise over the war in Ukraine – as Russian warships are heading to the Caribbean in a show of force.

Putin said recent moves by the West could cause “very serious problems” and suggested Moscow would use nuclear weapons if its authority was threatened.

“This would mark their direct involvement in the war against the Russian Federation, and we reserve the right to act in the same way,” Putin told a group of international journalists at the St. Petersburg forum.

His doomsday warning comes as the United States and Germany have given Ukraine the green light to use the weapons they provided to strike certain targets on Russian territory.

Putin claimed that if Ukraine used Western weapons, those countries chose what to target, meaning Moscow could take “asymmetric” measures elsewhere in the world.

While President Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S. weapons to protect Kharkiv, the U.S. military has said it does not control the missiles it supplies or the targets.

“If they consider it possible to deliver such weapons to the combat zone to launch strikes on our territory and create problems for us, why do we not have the right to supply weapons of the same type to certain regions of the world where they can be used to launch strikes on sensitive installations of countries that do so to Russia? Putin said.

“We will think about it,” he added.

Putin also appeared to suggest that Russia was willing to turn to nuclear weapons if it felt threatened.

“For some reason the West believes Russia will never use it,” he said.

“Look at what’s written there,” he said, referring to Russia’s nuclear doctrine. “If someone’s actions threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider it possible to use all means at our disposal.”

Putin's comments come as U.S. tracking data shows Russian warships and aircraft heading to the Caribbean to conduct military exercises, and ships expected to make stops in Venezuela and Cuba.

The exercise, which two senior Biden officials told AP was noteworthy but not concerning, will involve a “handful” of Russian ships and support vessels. It will also be monitored by the US military.

The officials added that the exercise was “certainly” part of a broader Russian response to U.S. support for Ukraine, but was also an attempt by Putin to show that his navy is still a world power – even after losing several ships to Ukrainian strikes.

Russia has not informed the United States about the upcoming exercise, but the Navy has been tracking the ships' movements, the officials said.

The ships will likely remain in the region throughout the summer and continue to conduct similar exercises.

With post wires