The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday (Apr 17) warned Germany over the possibility of long-range Taurus missiles deployed in Ukraine, saying that it will be a “direct” German involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that a Taurus “strike against any Russian facility of critical transport infrastructure... all of this would be regarded as direct participation of Germany in hostilities.”

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This comes after Germany’s presumptive next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said that he is open to delivering the missiles to Ukraine.

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Meanwhile, the United Kingdom said that it would support Germany on its potential decision to send the missiles to Kyiv, reported the Telegraph, citing an undisclosed British foreign policy official.

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European officials, including Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and Polish Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, have also welcomed Merz’s comments on Taurus deliveries made during a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday (Apr 14).

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What is Taurus?

The Taurus KEPD-350 missile is known to be one of the most modern weapon systems used by the German military, the Bundeswehr. It is capable of travelling at a speed of up to 1,170 kilometres (727 miles) per hour, which is nearly the speed of sound, and can reach targets as far as 500 kilometres (310 miles) away. 

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This long-range missile travels at an altitude of just 35 metres, making it nearly impossible to be detected by radar systems. It uses four independent navigation systems to stay on track. It has a satellite-supported GPS system, which is protected against attempts to jam it.

The Taurus missiles, developed by the European missile company MBDA, can penetrate several floors of a bunker before the actual warhead explodes and would allow Ukraine to hit targets far inside the Russian territory.

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These missiles are designed to be used with Tornado jets and would first have to be adapted to the Ukrainian Air Force’s fighter jets.

The Bundeswehr's Taurus are designed to be used with Tornado jets, and the missile, which was developed by the European missile company MBDA, would first have to be adapted to the fighter jets used by Ukraine's Air Force.