Russia’s defence ministry said the military had used long range precision missiles to destroy Ukraine’s tanks and other armoured vehicles on the outskirts of Kyiv on Sunday, according to an AP report.

In a posting on the Telegram app, the Russian ministry said high-precision, long-range air-launched missiles were used destroyed T-72 tanks supplied by Eastern European countries and other armoured vehicles located in buildings of a car-repair business.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Ukrainian side.

President Vladimir Putin also warned that any Western deliveries of long-range rocket systems to Ukraine would prompt Moscow to hit “objects that we haven’t yet struck.”

In extracts of an interview to be broadcast late Sunday on Rossiya-1 television, Putin did not specify exactly which targets could be hit nor the exact range of the missiles to which Moscow would react.

The cryptic threat of a military escalation from the Russian leader did not specify what the new targets might be.

Putin said the Western countries were stepping up arm supplies to prolong the war.

His comments came just days after the United States announced it would supply Ukraine with Himars multiple launch rocket systems.

Himars is a mobile unit that can simultaneously launch multiple precision-guided missiles up to 80 kilometres away.

Military experts say that the range of the Himars systems is slightly longer than that of similar Russian systems, meaning Kyiv's forces could strike enemy artillery while keeping out of Moscow's reach.

The United States announced plans to deliver US$700 million of security help for Ukraine that includes four precision-guided, medium-range rocket systems, helicopters, Javelin anti-tank weapon systems, radars, tactical vehicles and spare parts.

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