Russian officials on Thursday reacted to a report from The New York Times that said the US was warming to the idea of helping Ukraine strike Crimea despite the risk of a Russian escalation.

When asked about the report on Wednesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price didn't deny its contents and said, "Crimea is Ukraine," as the US hasn't recognized Crimea as Russian since Russia took control of it in 2014.

Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the US, responded to Price's comments and the reports, likening the plans to potential "terrorist attacks" and warning of escalation.

"The State Department, through out-of-touch assertions that 'Crimea is Ukraine' and that the Armed Forces of Ukraine can use American weapons to protect their territory, is essentially pushing the Kiev regime to carry out terrorist attacks in Russia," Antonov said, according to a press release from the Russian Embassy in the US.

"Hearing such remarks from Washington, the criminals in Kiev will once again feel complete permissiveness. The risks of conflict escalation will only increase," he added.