MOSCOW. Sept 18 (Interfax) - A statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that allowing Kiev to fire long-range missiles deep into Russia will not be a red line is shortsighted and extremely dangerous, and leads to an escalation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"Such a demonstrative desire not to take the Russian president's statement seriously is a shortsighted and unprofessional move," Peskov told the press.
"This is a highly provocative and dangerous stance," he said.
Peskov said he was inclined to attribute Stoltenberg's statement to the fact that he is leaving his post soon.
In a very short time, the incumbent NATO secretary general "will not have to be responsible for his words," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said previously that allowing Kiev to fire long-range missiles deep into Russia would mean NATO's direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict and would change its essence, so Moscow would have to make decisions depending on the emerging threats.