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Did Moscow's warning mark a new phase?
Summary
A look back at Russia's reaction to Western-weapons permissions and the strikes that preceded it.
What did Russia's accusation against NATO and the United States mean as of 3 June 2024? On 2 June 2024, Moscow said both were provoking a new level of tension after some allies agreed to let Ukraine's military use Western-supplied weapons against targets inside Russia.
The accusation followed a heavy night of fighting. On 1 June 2024, Russia launched missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, injuring at least four people and damaging critical infrastructure, including energy facilities. Ukraine said it shot down 35 of 53 missiles and 46 of 47 drones.
Two linked questions
The sequence put two issues side by side: the pressure on Ukrainian energy and other infrastructure, and the decision by some allies to loosen limits on how supplied weapons could be used. Russia framed the second as an escalation by NATO and Washington.
The interception figures showed Ukraine's air defences stopping most of the drones and a majority of the missiles, yet damage to energy facilities still occurred. That combination helps explain why the question of striking targets inside Russia was part of the debate on 3 June 2024.
