During a discussion on the Russian state TV program 60 Minutes, Russian MP Alexey Zhuravlyov warned that Moscow would be ready for the potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles, and said it could target Poland’s Rzeszów military hub in response.
The program discussed the possibility of Ukraine acquiring Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of up to 1,550 miles. Recently, Volodymyr Zelensky has requested Donald Trump to sell the missiles to European countries, which would then sell them to Ukraine. Trump has not made a final decision on Tomahawks and questions remain over how they would be supplied, and whether Moscow would step up its rhetoric over escalation and prompt a Russian response.
But in a chilling warning, Zhuravlyov told 60 Minutes: “We aren’t at war with the Polish people, but we’re at war against the Rzeszów base.”
Zhuravlyov, who is the chairman of the Rodina political party and first deputy chairman of the parliamentary defence committee added: “If we simply shoot down these Tomahawks, he [Trump] will be happy. Then, he will certainly send them and they will be used for strikes. Just like when they sent the tanks, we were talking about it here ‘It can’t be!’ Yes, it can.
“If we just shoot them down, Iran, our strategic ally, with whom we have a treaty, what did it do in response to their strikes? Yes, it was so-so, but it did strike American military bases. What did Americans do about it? Nothing. Not to mention the Houthis, they’re striking ships, we need to show that we are ready.
“We aren’t at war with the Polish people, but we’re at war against the Rzeszów base. Just like they said ‘We’re not at war with Iran, we’re at war against its nuclear objects.’ And we’re at war against the Rzeszów base.”
Yuriy Boyechko, the founder of Hope for Ukraine, which provides support to communities on the frontline, told Newsweek that the prospect of the US supplying Ukraine with the missiles was impossible, given that their traditional launch platforms are sea-based and primarily deployed from naval ships and submarines.
He said that Ukraine has a very small navy, and the chances of it acquiring a surface ship or submarine capable of launching Tomahawks are nearly zero.