Zelensky said, in the context of his nightly message to his compatriots, that he is asking the West to supply him with long-range missiles, stressing the need not to take into account any “taboo” or “obstacle” that impedes the supply of weapons to Kyiv in order to protect itself from what he called “Russian terrorism.”
Ukraine has long requested qualitative American weapons so that it can attack prominent Russian targets, such as hitting points in the Crimea peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.
However, the United States remained conservative in its response to Ukraine, as it did not accept sending long-range weapons, in order to avoid hitting targets inside Russia, in a way that might lead to the transfer of the conflict to a broader scale.
Ukraine does not tire of demanding the ATACMS tactical missile system, which is a “surface-to-surface” system manufactured by the US defense company “Lockheed Martin”.
The range of this missile system reaches 300 kilometers, while it is characterized by a great driving force, which makes it have a great effect on the battlefield, if used.
The length of this missile system is 4 meters, along with a diameter of 610 millimeters, while it can be launched through the “MLRS” and “HIMARS” launchers.
Western countries are keen to provide defensive weapons to Ukraine so that Kyiv can stand up to Russian operations, but without enabling it to have offensive weapons that may reach Russia.
Why does Washington refuse?
US President Joe Biden made it clear earlier that his country’s position is clear and explicit, which is the unwillingness to enter a war with Russia, and that is the position of other countries allied to the United States, despite the keenness to provide aid to Ukraine.
US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said in January that Washington believes Ukraine can make progress on the ground without needing long-range missile systems.
In a press interview, he stressed that the United States’ assessment in this regard is very clear and unambiguous, saying that there are other means that can help the Ukrainians hit important targets in the war.
He pointed out that the United States will not provide Ukraine with what would allow it to launch attacks that reach the Russian interior, while Washington confirms granting what facilitates the penetration of Russian defenses.
The US hesitation comes, while Moscow has repeatedly warned against sending long-range weapons to Ukraine, amid hints of a “nuclear option” in the event of an “existential threat” to the Russian state.
Tanks on the way
Biden recently announced his country’s intention to send “Abrams M1” tanks to Ukraine, while Germany, in turn, agreed to send its “Leopard 2” tank to Ukraine, after a period of hesitation, amid warnings from Moscow.
According to an analysis in the New York Times, the tanks will not serve as a magic wand that will allow Ukraine to win the war, which has caused profound shifts in the geostrategic landscape in the world.
The tanks will not be a major decisive element during the new year, because the nature of the battle that will be fought in the coming period differs from the confrontations that the Russian and Ukrainian sides entered in the year 2022.
The authors, Julian Burns and Eric Schmidt, explained that the United States will seek again to put the Ukrainian army in the position it wants so that it is able to penetrate Russian defenses.
To accomplish this military mission, the United States and its allies need not only to provide tanks, armored vehicles, and advanced ammunition, but also to ensure the required training so that the Ukrainian military personnel are able to use what they have been given at great insistence.
However, this task is not easy, because learning to use these vehicles and weapons together, and to mix them, requires months and perhaps years, even among the same US military units, while the war in Ukraine may proceed at a faster pace.
The provision of this military aid to Ukraine comes amidst great caution, because the West, led by the United States, wants to supply the Ukrainian army with what allows it to move stagnant waters and make progress, but without falling into provoking Russia and pushing it to expand the scope of the conflict, and perhaps slide into a nuclear war. .
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