Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned senior US diplomats on Friday to protest against remarks made by White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, whom it accused of “effectively endorsing strikes” on Crimea.
The peninsula on the Black Sea was seized by Russia and annexed from Ukraine in 2014, but is internationally recognised as Ukrainian territory.
“It is time for Washington to learn that any form of aggression against Russia will continue to be met with the strongest possible response,” the ministry said.
It did not specify which comments it objected to, but when Mr Sullivan was asked in a CNN interview on Sunday whether Ukraine should have weapons that can reach Russian targets in Crimea, he replied: “Yes. We have not placed limitations on Ukraine being able to strike on its territory within its internationally recognised borders.
“What we have said is that we will not enable Ukraine with US systems, western systems, to attack Russia.
"And we believe Crimea is Ukraine.”
Russia has reported a series of drone strikes and attacks within its internationally recognised territory in recent weeks, including a cross-border raid on Tuesday in the Belgorod region that it blamed on Ukrainian militants.
Kyiv said it had nothing to do with the incident.
Ukraine and Russia conflict latest - in pictures
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A Ukrainian soldier moves along a trench at a position near the front-line town of Bakhmut. Reuters -
The leader of Russia's Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin, right, talks to his fighters in Bakhmut. AFP -
A Ukrainian serviceman from the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade keeps watch on the front line. EPA -
An evacuee from eastern Ukraine boards a train in Pokrovsk bound for Lviv. Reuters -
Fighters of the Russian Volunteer Corps, which fights on the side of Ukraine, in the north of the country, not far from the Russian border. AFP -
A Ukrainian army multiple rocket launcher fires at Russian positions on the front line near Bakhmut. AP -
Smoke rises after a Russian missile strike in Kyiv. Reuters -
A Ukrainian man plants sunflowers between a damaged Russian tank and its turret in his garden in the village of Velyka Dymerka, Kyiv region. AP -
Ukrainian servicemen rest at their positions after a battle near the front-line city of Bakhmut. Reuters -
A teenager aims a Kalashnikov AK47 rifle during defence training at a centre for school pupils in Lviv. AFP -
A Ukrainian national flag in the middle of a blossoming field near Brovary, east of Kyiv. AP -
Ukrainian servicemen check Russian positions near the front-line city of Bakhmut. Reuters -
Rescuers put out a fire during a Russian air strike on Kyiv. EPA -
Ukrainian boys play at being soldiers in the village of Stoyanka. AFP -
Ukrainian servicemen during an exercise in the Chernihiv region. Reuters -
Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon on the front line near Bakhmut. AP
