Russia has issued a strong warning to Germany over potential deliveries of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, stating that any strikes on Russian infrastructure would be seen as direct German involvement in the conflict.
The warning follows comments from Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely next chancellor, who expressed openness to sending the missiles—a shift from current Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s stance. Merz emphasized that such a move would require coordination with European partners.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that if Ukraine uses Taurus missiles to attack Russian “critical transport infrastructure,” Moscow would consider it a direct act by Germany. The Taurus KEPD-350, with a range of 500 km and speeds up to 1,170 km/h, could enable Ukraine to strike deep inside Russian territory.
European officials, including Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and Polish Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski, have supported Merz’s stance. The debate over arms deliveries continues as tensions escalate, with Russia framing Western military aid as direct participation in the war.
