MOSCOW - Russia has issued a stern warning to the West, cautioning against granting permission to Ukraine for deep strikes into Russian territory with Western missiles. Following Ukraine's attack on Russia's western Kursk region on August 6th, tensions continue to escalate between the two nations.

In a press conference today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West of seeking to escalate the conflict in Ukraine and stated that they were "asking for trouble" by considering Ukrainian requests to loosen curbs on using foreign-supplied weapons. Lavrov emphasized that the situation could have severe consequences, cautioning that World War Three would not be confined to Europe.

President Vladimir Putin also warned of a worthy response from Russia against the attack, stating that there would be consequences for such aggression. Putin has consistently stressed the dangers of a broader conflict involving nuclear powers but reiterated that Russia does not desire a confrontation with the US-led NATO alliance.

Lavrov's statements were accompanied by Russia's plans to "clarify" its nuclear doctrine. Under the current 2020 doctrine, Russia would consider using a nuclear weapon as a response to an attack involving nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, as well as conventional weapons that pose a direct threat to the state's existence.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy recently declared that the assault on Russia's Kursk region demonstrated that Kremlin threats of retaliation were a bluff. Zelenskiy emphasized the need for bolder decisions from allies to assist Ukraine in the ongoing conflict, as existing restrictions placed on Ukraine hampered its ability to strike certain Russian military targets.

While Russia has accused Ukraine of using Western weaponry, including British tanks and US rocket systems, in the Kursk attack, the United States has denied involvement and stated that it was not informed of Ukraine's plans ahead of the surprise incursion. However, a recent report by The New York Times claims that the US and UK provided Ukraine with satellite imagery and intelligence on the Kursk region in the aftermath of the attack, aimed at helping Ukraine monitor Russian reinforcements.

As tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine, and with the potential involvement of Western powers in the conflict, the international community is closely watching the developments in one of Europe's most volatile regions. The possibility of further retaliatory actions and the uncertain path to resolving this conflict has raised concerns about the potential repercussions that could be felt globally.