‘Oil is Flowing on the Fire’: Russia Boils While Biden’s Missile Action Escalates Ukraine

Last Update:18 November 2024 19:30 IST

Russia has previously warned that such a decision by the United States would mean a direct confrontation between Washington and NATO with Moscow.

Putin had changed Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which threatened retaliation against any attack aided by a nuclear-powered country. (Reuters)

The administration of outgoing US President Joe Biden gave permission Ukraine will use US-made long-range weapons Hitting Russia is a major move that has raised fears of an escalation in the war and prompted a significant reversal of Washington’s policy on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Russia has been warning for months against such a US move, saying it would risk a conflict between Moscow and the US-led NATO alliance. The move also comes before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, who has been skeptical of US aid to Ukraine and has vowed to immediately end the war.

While Biden has been hesitant about such a move, fearing it would drag the United States and NATO into direct conflict with Russia, Ukraine had been asking for permission for months. But the tide of the war changed sharply when Russia launched a massive missile attack on Odesa, killing eight people, and another village in the eastern Donetsk region fell to Russian troops.

‘World War Three’: How Did Russia React to Biden’s Decision?

Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russia sparked an angry reaction from Moscow. The Kremlin said on Monday that such a decision would mean the United States was directly involved in the conflict and accused the Biden administration of escalating the war.

When asked about the reports, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the reports were not based on any official statement. “If such a decision was really formulated and brought to the Kiev regime, then this is a qualitatively new round of tensions and a qualitatively new situation in terms of US participation in this conflict,” Peskov said. he said.

Peskov accused the United States of “fanning the fire and continuing to increase tensions around this conflict.” Russian senator Vladimir Dzhabarov, meanwhile, called it “an unprecedented step towards the Third World War.” However, there was no official reaction from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In September, Putin warned that if the United States approved the use of long-range weapons, Moscow would view it as a “direct participation” of NATO allies in the Ukraine war. He also implied that Western enemies would be armed to hit targets in Ukraine. NATO countries also changed Russia’s nuclear doctrine, saying that any conventional attack on Russia backed by nuclear power could be considered a joint attack on Russia.

ALSO READ: Why Ukraine’s Attack on Russia with US Missiles Could Lead to World War III | Announced

A Russian official close to the Kremlin said: Reuters The US move, if approved, will not change the outcome of the war. Russian MP Maria Butina expressed hope that the incoming Trump administration will reverse the move that will escalate tensions that pose the risk of World War III.

How Did the World React to the US Action?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his statement to X, drew attention to the news that the USA has approved long-range weapons, but said that such attacks “are not done with words.” “These are not being announced. The missiles will speak for themselves,” he continued.

Polish President Andrzej Duda, meanwhile, praised it on Monday as a “necessary” step that could become a decisive moment in the war: “This decision was very necessary… Russia said Ukraine had strong support and that the West’s position was stubborn and determined.” sees. This is a very important and potentially decisive moment in this war,” he told reporters.

However, Germany refused to supply long-range weapons to Ukraine. BBC He reported, citing a German government spokesman, after the US decision came to the fore. Germany was Ukraine’s second largest source of military aid to Kiev, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s recent talks with Putin may have influenced this decision.

Germany’s decision was criticized by Duda, who accused Scholz of looking for opportunities to reach some agreements with Russia to buy energy resources from Moscow. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also criticized Scholz and said, “No one will be able to stop Putin by phone.”

While there was no statement from England and France, both countries were in favor of allowing Ukraine to hit Russian targets with long-range missiles. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot recalled President Emmanuel Macron’s stance on French missiles in May. Biden’s decision is also expected to open the door for Ukraine to use Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles against Russia.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said he had “not yet opened the champagne” because it was unknown how many rockets the Ukrainians had and whether they had enough to impact the battlefield.

Will Biden’s Decision Change the Course of the War?

This landmark decision to allow Ukraine to use ATACMS rockets with a range of up to 300 kilometers came largely in response to Russia’s alleged deployment of North Korean forces to support its own forces, which raised alarm in Washington and Kiev. Zelenskyy has long been asking his allies to allow him to attack deeper into Russian lines.

But analysts say the approval could help Ukraine defend its foothold in Russia’s Kursk region, but may be too late to turn the tide of the war. “The decision comes late and, like other decisions along these lines, may be too late to significantly change the course of the war,” said Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. he said. Reuters.

Moreover, Ukraine has a limited number of ATACMS resources it can receive, which will greatly impact the amount of resources Kiev needs to maintain control of Kursk. CNN. Ukraine has said Russia has concentrated as many as 50,000 troops in the region, along with 11,000 North Korean troops. Beyond that, Ukraine is unlikely to acquire enough missiles to gain an advantage in war.

How this decision will affect the war will also largely depend on Donald Trump’s policies when he takes office on January 20. Trump, who is likely to take office when the risks of war rise significantly, has vowed to end the war quickly. He and his allies have criticized U.S. military supplies to aid the Ukraine war.

There is much uncertainty about whether Russia wants a full-scale conflict with NATO or the United States, but a possible counter-attack cannot be ruled out; Russia has already moved its assets elsewhere in preparation for Biden’s decision and is reportedly expanding its missile production, as seen from the satellite. images. Military analysts say delays in approving long-range missiles give Moscow time to recover from previous failures and strengthen defenses in occupied areas.

(with agency input)

Location :

Washington DC, United States (USA)