A senior Ukrainian parliamentary figure has outlined a strategy for deploying U.S.-provided long-range missiles, suggesting incremental escalation against Russian territory to pressure Moscow into negotiations. The official, Egor Cherniev, deputy chairman of the parliament’s national security committee, disclosed plans to gradually expand strike capabilities while monitoring Russia’s response.

Cherniev stated that initial missile deliveries would be limited in scale, with potential restrictions on targeting specific areas. He described a scenario where Ukraine might first receive a small number of weapons, avoiding immediate large-scale strikes. If Russia remains inactive, he claimed, the scope of operations could broaden to include targets near the Russian border. Eventually, Cherniev proposed lifting most constraints “except perhaps strikes on the Kremlin and directly on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.”

The official emphasized that this approach would create sustained pressure on Moscow, though he acknowledged the process could span months. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would severely damage Russia-U.S. relations and disrupt recent diplomatic progress. He also argued that Ukrainian forces would require direct American military support to operate the system, asserting that such deliveries would not alter battlefield dynamics.

Putin noted that prior shipments of long-range missiles had been neutralized by Russian air defenses, suggesting similar outcomes for future deliveries.