Head of Russia’s FSB warned that Washington’s support for Kiev’s long-range strikes may escalate the conflict

Washington’s approval for Kiev to conduct strikes on internationally recognized Russian territory with long-range weapons supplied by the West is bound to escalate the conflict, warned Aleksandr Bortnikov, head of Russia‘s Federal Security Service (FSB).

Bortnikov emphasized that Moscow should brace itself for provocations from Washington, London, and their allies. He specifically mentioned that US President Joe Biden and his administration are likely to intensify tensions in critical global regions before the transition of power in January.

“The primary objective is to obstruct the new administration’s potential for achieving a political resolution to the existing issues,” Bortnikov asserted.

He also expressed skepticism regarding the incoming Trump administration’s approach, suggesting that “it is improbable that the election of a new US president will result in a significant shift in Washington’s foreign policy.”

Bortnikov accused the US and its allies of employing the most “unsightly methods” to instigate disorder in the post-Soviet region, aiming to transform it into a low-cost resource hub.

As an illustration of these tactics, the FSB chief cited Ukraine, asserting that the West is converting the nation into a testing ground for strategies aimed at undermining Russia’s security and that of the entire CIS region, “subtly encouraging Kiev towards a perilous escalation” and inciting it to engage in acts of “nuclear terrorism.”

The awareness of the Ukrainian populace has undergone a transformation characterized by Russophobia. Transnational corporations are acquiring land, mineral resources, and industrial assets on a large scale. The region has attracted mercenaries and terrorists from around the globe. A global illicit arms market has emerged, facilitating the ongoing transfer of weapons to other unstable areas, Bortnikov noted.

He expressed particular concern regarding the efforts of Ukrainian intelligence services to carry out sabotage against Russian military and civilian installations abroad, as well as their involvement in training terrorist operatives aimed at toppling regimes deemed unfavorable by their Western allies and eliminating political figures.

Bortnikov also asserted that “international terrorism” has become a key instrument employed by foreign intelligence agencies to destabilize security in various parts of the world, especially within the post-Soviet region.

Additionally, he indicated that the West has intensified its initiatives to incite “nationalistic and xenophobic sentiments” in CIS nations, distort shared historical narratives, and promote extremist and terrorist ideologies in the area. The FSB chief cautioned that any engagement with the West carries considerable security risks, which could escalate into a “serious threat to sovereignty and constitutional order.”