Why Ukraine Wants to Use Western Long-Range Missiles in Russia

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine is pressing for permission from its Western partners to use the long-range missiles they have supplied to strike targets deep inside Russia, as Ukrainian forces struggle to hold back Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.

Officials in Kiev argue that weapons are vital to weaken Russia’s offensive capabilities on Ukraine and force it to move its offensive capabilities further away from the border.

Russia has warned that it would consider such long-range strikes an act of war, and Ukraine’s Western allies are wary of antagonizing the country, which has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal.

The issue is likely to weigh heavily on meetings at the White House on Friday between President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and on meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later this month.

WHAT KIND OF WEAPONS ARE THESE?

Long-range missiles include systems such as the British-guided Storm Shadow and the comparable French SCALP or the US Army Tactical Missile System, ATACMS.

Ukraine is developing its own domestic programs to develop long-range weapons, including drones that are already capable of hitting targets deep inside Russian territory. However, Western missiles would offer greater precision and much greater destructive capacity.

The air-launched Storm Shadow and ground-launched ATACMS are already used by Ukraine to carry out highly precise attacks on military installations and strategic infrastructure in Russian-occupied territories, but not on Russian soil.

Germany has long refused to send the TAURUS long-range missiles, citing concerns about international escalation.

HOW WOULD THEY HELP UKRAINE?

Ukraine sees the ability to deploy long-range missiles behind enemy lines as a “game changer,” allowing it to strike air bases, supply depots and communications centers hundreds of miles across the border.

It is argued that this would help reduce Russia’s air superiority and weaken the supply lines needed to launch daily airstrikes on Ukraine – using drones, missiles and powerful glider bombs – and to maintain its ground military offensive in Ukraine.

With winter likely to slow that advance, long-range airstrikes will become a higher priority. Kiev wants to go back on the offensive to make up for a shortage of military manpower after 2½ years of war and to protect its badly damaged energy infrastructure.

Last week, the US Secretary of Defense said Lloyd Austin met with Zelenskyy and appeared cool to Kiev’s request, claiming that Ukraine had already struck targets in Russia with domestically produced weapons. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Charlie Dietz also noted that the ATACMs would not be the answer to the biggest threat Ukraine faces from long-range Russian glide bombs, which are fired from more than 300 kilometers (180 miles) away, beyond the range of the ATACMS.

WILL THE WEST KEEP ITSELF SECRET?

The United States and other NATO members, while supporting Ukraine with weapons, training and financial aid, are trying to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia.

The Kremlin says a red line will be crossed if Western missiles are fired on its territory, a warning reiterated this week by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy discussed the issue extensively this week in London and during a joint trip to Kiev. They remained publicly reserved about a change in missile policy, but noted that Russia wants to further shift the strategic balance in Ukraine by Iranian long-range ballistic missiles.

Ukraine, for its part, says it has already defied Russia’s red lines with its five-week incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region. Zelenskyy added that he hopes allies will make “strong decisions” when he meets Biden later this month. ___

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine