September 13th 2024.
During a press conference on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his concerns about the possibility of Ukraine using long-range missiles to attack targets within Russian borders. He stated that such actions would be seen as a direct entry of NATO into the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
According to Putin, if this were to happen, it would mean that not only the United States, but also European countries are at war with Russia. In light of this change in the nature of the conflict, Moscow would have to make necessary decisions to respond to the threats posed by such actions.
The president also mentioned that the Ukrainian army does not possess the capability to operate modern high-precision long-range systems without assistance from the West. Currently, the United States provides intelligence to Ukraine, and has previously aided in targeting, although not with the specific long-range systems that are being considered now.
Dr Stacie Pettyjohn, a Senior Fellow at the Center for New American Security, pointed out that besides US intelligence, Ukrainian forces may also have access to other resources such as commercial satellite imagery, depending on the target.
During a press conference on the same day, Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that the US continues to provide military assistance to Ukraine, including intelligence. However, he did not address whether the US would increase its intelligence sharing.
In October of 2023, the United States first provided Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile System missiles, which have a maximum range of approximately 186 miles. Kyiv has been urging its supporters to allow the use of weapons systems that could reach deeper into Russian territory.
In an interview with CNN's Alex Marquardt, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov highlighted that the airfields used by Russia to attack Ukrainian cities are within the range of deep strikes. This indicates that Ukraine's existing supply of long-range ATACMS has been used to target important Russian assets in occupied Crimea, including air defenses, ammunition depots, and airfields.
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