SIMFEROPOL, August 21. /TASS/. Moscow will respond proportionately to Washington's move to send long-range missiles to Ukraine, should the US make such a decision, Mikhail Sheremet, member of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Security and Anti-Corruption Committee, told TASS.

Yegor Chernev, deputy chief of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, said earlier that the Kiev authorities would like to get JASSM long-range cruise missiles from the US for the F-16 fighter jets that have started to arrive in the country.

"The US authorities should remember that Russia is not interested in further escalating military tensions across the globe but it is always prepared to give a tit-for-tat response to any aggressive actions," Sheremet stated.

According to him, if the US provides JASSM cruise missiles to Ukraine, it will automatically become a sponsor of terrorism and an accomplice in the killing of Russian civilians. The State Duma member pointed out that over the past decade, the US had been consistently violating international laws and rules, interfering in the domestic affairs of independent countries on a regular basis.

Potential missile supplies

Politico wrote earlier, citing US officials, that Washington was open to the idea of sending JASSM long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, although no final decision had been made yet. Neither the White House, nor the US Department of State or the Pentagon responded to TASS’ requests for comment.

According to Politico, the US shares such missiles only with close allies. "Poland, Australia and Finland have the weapon, while Japan and the Netherlands signed agreements to buy the missiles in July with delivery expected in the coming years. Germany, Greece, Romania and Denmark are also in discussions to buy the missile," the media outlet reported.