The Kremlin once again warned Ukraine’s allies against allowing Kyiv to hit Russian territory using Western weapons, with President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman promising “consequences’’ if such strikes were to occur.

“It will ultimately be very damaging to the interests of those countries that have chosen the path of escalating tensions,’’ spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

The question of whether to let Kyiv use Western weapons to hit military targets in Russia has loomed larger as fighting intensifies along certain sections of the Ukraine-Russia border.

Kyiv is especially struggling to halt Russia’s offensive in the north-eastern Kharkiv region.

Foreign ministers from the 32 countries of the NATO defence alliance are meeting in Prague on Thursday to discuss the issue, among others.
Western weapons have so far been aimed primarily at Russian positions in the areas of Ukraine occupied by Moscow’s forces.

In Vienna, Russian diplomat Konstantin Gavrilov warned the West against crossing “red lines,’’ saying Moscow has the right to use nuclear weapons in response to aggression even in the case of an attack with conventional weapons.

He spoke at an event organised by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

(dpa/NAN)