Putin Warns US Personnel Would Be Required for Tomahawk Use, Risking Wider War

Moscow – President Vladimir Putin has significantly raised the specter of a wider war by claiming that the use of American Tomahawk missiles in Ukraine would require the direct involvement of U.S. military personnel.
This assertion, made during a meeting with his military command, is the cornerstone of his threat to Washington. By linking the weapon system to American troops on the ground, Putin is framing the potential aid as a direct act of aggression by a NATO country.
He warned that such a move would trigger a “qualitatively new stage of escalation” and would lead to the complete “destruction” of the relationship between Moscow and Washington, a clear signal of the potential for a direct superpower confrontation.
This threat was issued as Putin also claimed a commanding position in the current conflict. He announced that his forces had taken control of almost 5,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2025, securing the “complete strategic initiative.”
While the world considers this risk, Ukraine has highlighted Russia’s own escalatory actions. President Zelenskyy’s accusation that Russia is using oil tankers for spying and sabotage points to a broadening of the conflict through unconventional means.