Ukraine is seeking permission from western allies, including the United States, to strike deep inside Russia with U.S-guided weapons in response to devastating Russian airstrikes on residential areas. President Zelenskyy wants to destroy Russian bases that have been launching these attacks, while Russian President Putin warns that such strikes could pull NATO countries into the war. The Biden administration is facing a complex decision, balancing support for Ukraine, preventing a wider conflagration, and maintaining weapons stocks.
Ukraine already has long-range precision weapons supplied by western countries, but technical guidance from the Pentagon is needed for precise targeting. The U.S. policy has been amended to allow weapons to attack inside Russia near the Ukraine border, but restrictions on high-range strikes are still in place. Ukraine’s goal is to disrupt Russia’s ability to launch attacks from within its own airspace using Soviet-era weapons.
Deeper missile strikes could force Russia to move its key military assets farther from Ukraine, slowing restocking of equipment and reducing flight times for warplanes. These strikes could have strategic effects on the conflict, prolonging the war and causing Russia to reconsider its costs. However, supplying Ukraine with precision weapons is complicated due to potential escalation risks and limited availability of such weapons.
Some argue that fears of escalation should not hold back Ukraine from targeting legitimate military targets in Russia, while others caution against the potential consequences of such actions. The decision to allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia with U.S-guided weapons is currently under discussion within the administration, with no final decisions made yet.
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