MOSCOW, June 1 — The planned delivery of new US weapons to Ukraine, including advanced missile systems, increases the risk of drawing the United States into direct conflict with Russia, Moscow said today.

"Any arms supplies that continue, are on the rise, increase the risks of such a development," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RIA Novosti news agency, in answer to a question about the possibility of a confrontation between Moscow and Washington.

Yesterday, Washington said it will be supplying Ukraine with advanced missile systems, including the Himars multiple-launch rocket system that can simultaneously launch multiple precision-guided missiles.

Both Ukraine and Russia already operate multiple-launch rockets systems, but the Himars has superior range and precision.

The Himars system that Washington is providing to Ukraine will have a range of about 80 kilometres.

According to Ryabkov, the US is determined to "wage war (on Moscow) to the last Ukrainian in order to inflict, as they say, a strategic defeat on Russia".

"This is unprecedented, this is dangerous," Ryabkov said. — AFP