Russia-Ukraine War: US mulls long-range missiles for Ukraine | WION Fineprint

Russia is stepping up its missile strikes and is advancing through the eastern part of Ukraine moscow's intense fight attacks are prompting a pivotal decision by the United States whether to approve the use of longrange missiles for Ukraine and our next story explains as to how this move could alter the war's trajectory but also risks ignoring further escalation the Russian military is advancing in eastern Ukraine Russian fighter jets are dropping these three-ton Glide bombs smashing ke's Frontline troops and nearby cities Russian missiles are also reigning death and destruction kees SK incursion has seemingly failed to soften the Russian assault amid this Rising tension US Secretary of State Anthony blinkin and UK foreign secretary David Lamy are in ke holding talks with Ukrainian leaders at the heart of the discussion is Ukraine's urgent request for advanced weapons like the US made at camps capable of striking targets up to 300 km away Ukraine also has Storm Shadow missiles donated by the British which have a range of about 250 km so far they've only been used against Russian Targets in occupied Ukrainian territory keev argues that these longrange missiles are essential to neutralize Russian air bases which have been launching deadly attacks on Ukrainian positions the Biden Administration is walking a tight rope between support for Ukraine and fear of wider conflict as it inches closer to a momentous decision UK prime minister stamer is scheduled to meet President Biden to take a decision on removing the curbs on [Music] Kei will you LIF restrictions on the use of long range weapons by Ukraine we're working that out right now the provision of long range missiles to Ukraine could have far-reaching consequences mosow warns it could lead to a significant escalation of the conflict potentially drawing NATO countries into a direct confrontation with Russia listening to President Putin's ominous warning the US is essentially provoking an arms race disregarding the security of its European and Asian allies creating the preconditions for a dangerous crisis situation in Europe and the asia-pacific region I want to emphasize that Russia must be prepared for any develop velopment of the situation the stakes couldn't be higher NATO's accusations of Iranian short- range ballistic missile supplies to Russia adds another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation us says that Iranian missiles would give Russia more Firepower to Pummel Ukraine thean has repeatedly denied the accusations of supplying weapons to Russia Bureau report we on world is one all right now to give us more perspective in terms of what is happening at this moment in the Russia Ukraine war we're being joined by retired Le Colonel Daniel Davis who's joining us on this broadcast col Davis thank you very much indeed for joining us here on VI and let me in fact start off by asking you about the latest bit of information that has come in about reports of drone attacks that have taken place in mormans in the Arctic part of Russia now this is said to be a territory that is almost 1,500 km away from Ukraine and Ukrainian drones at least three of them are set to have targeted unspecified targets at this moment within this Russian territory what do you make of these long range drone attacks by Ukraine what do they accomplish in this war well I mean we just saw the the largest Ukrainian wave of drones into Russia in the war just a few days ago with 147 or 144 depending on who you ask uh drones that went into Russia but nearly all of them were shot down only a handful actually hit anything and and really there was no militarily significant targets even attacked uh as you saw that big famous picture of the the high-rise apartment building in Moscow being hit with one of the drones actually a couple of them uh so in terms of military efficiency it does absolutely nothing uh I I understand from some of the claims out of the western and Ukraine side that they want to quote bring the war to the Russians and them realize this is real but I'm not sure what that's supposed to accomplish on the ground in the war because so far the only reaction has been that it makes Russia matter and makes the people more willing to support war and actually pushing Putin further to take harsher action against the Ukraine so I from a military perspective I'm not sure what they're intending to accomplish uh but it doesn't seem to be working and also considering you know the fact that the United States of America has been very circumspect in in terms of How It's been a Ukraine to use a long range missiles now this is a policy that's in fact been described as um you know containing escalation do you think that is working on the part of the United States which has been mulling on letting Ukraine use long range missiles to strike targets inside Russia well you know anytime you use some kind of especially a new weapon that hasn't been used before or or using in a new way that it hasn't been used I.E to strike uh strategic depth Target inside of Russia you've got to ask yourself two big important questions on the first side what is this going to accomplish for the Ukraine side will this have some impact on the front line will this prevent Russia from maintaining its War support and then number two is what is the risk of escalation what is the risk that Russia responds in some way uh that's antithetical to your interest you know more powerful than they have and on both of those counts it's bad for the Ukraine and bad for the American side because in first of all militarily it's not going to make any difference there's not enough weapons that we're talking about that even are available to give to the Ukraine side that's going to have a big impact even if they get through and of course Russia has good air defense systems SC scattered throughout their country uh and the majority of those missiles are going to be able to knock down so if you don't have very many and you have a country as vast as Russia you just don't have enough to to service those targets to make a difference at the front line but in you strike deep into Russia uh there are some increasingly ominous warnings not just from Putin but from uh some of the other members of their Duma and some of the other officials pesov was another one of them that are saying hey this is a real red line and you start striking strategic depth in our country we're going to respond and I think that we're just playing with fire if we think that they're just bluffing and then do it something anyway and it doesn't make sense to take a risk of expanding the war on something that's not even going to have the a positive impact on the Tactical fight all right there thank you very much indeed Colonel Danel Davis for joining us and getting us those insights there for all the latest news download the Von app And subscribe to our YouTube channel