Are NATO soldiers really going to be sent to Ukraine to control long-range missiles?

Shatter Russia’s ambitions?

One netizen published information on the alleged involvement of NATO soldiers in the war on her Facebook account.

“NATO Secretary General M. Rutte congratulated the USA, France and the UK for delivering long-range missiles to Ukraine and announced that NATO troops would be sent to directly control them.

He declared the move a bold signal of NATO’s resolve and vowed to go to any lengths necessary to thwart Russia’s ambitions,” she wrote.

Screenshot from Facebook

US edition

On Sunday, US President Joe Biden allowed Ukraine will use long-range missiles supplied by this country for strikes on Russian territory, the media reported.

Officials said the weapons would likely initially be used against Russian and North Korean troops defending Ukrainian forces in Kursk.

It marked a change in the Biden administration, which is already ending its term. Allowing the Ukrainians to use ATACMS was a response to Russia’s surprise decision to bring North Korean troops into combat.

Shutterstock/ATACMS Missile System

Shutterstock/ATACMS Missile System

Ukraine has used ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles for several months, but only against targets in Russian-occupied territory.

Russian army on Tuesday statedthat Ukraine fired US-supplied long-range missiles at a military facility in the Bryansk region on the border, state media reported.

Reuters news agency sources on Tuesday evening confirmedthat the Ukrainian defense forces attacked a military warehouse in the Bryansk region, where Russian missiles and other ammunition were stored, with ATACMS ballistic missiles from a distance of about 100 km on the night of Tuesday.

Scanpix/Soc. network photo/15min collage/ATACMS missile and explosion in Briansk

Scanpix/Soc. network photo/15min collage/ATACMS missile and explosion in Briansk

The article adds that, according to military experts, the use of US missiles to attack positions deep in Russia could help Ukraine “defend a seized piece of Russian territory as a bargaining chip, but it is unlikely to have a decisive impact on the course of the already 33-month-old war.”

CNN, citing two US officials, also confirmed that this is the first time that Ukraine has hit Russia’s military arsenal with ATACMS missiles.

President Volodymyr Zelensky did not say whether the strike on the ammunition depot near Bryansk was carried out by American ATACMS missiles. At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine has long-range capabilities and plans to actively use them.

The United Kingdom has been supplying Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles for several months but, like the United States, has prevented Kyiv from using them to strike Russian territory. However, the situation changed after the Biden administration lifted its restrictions on striking deep into Russian territory.

On Wednesday, how reported media, Ukraine first used long-range missiles “Storm Shadow” against targets on Russian territory.

Although the Ministry of Defense has refrained from public comment, the UK government is understood to have previously agreed to give Ukraine more freedom to use the missiles at its discretion.

Military involvement was not announced

Mr. Rutte on Tuesday repeated The alliance’s position, allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons without restrictions, and emphasized the importance of flexibility.

Markas Rutte / Francesco Fotia/AGF/SIPA / Francesco Fotia/AGF/SIPA

Markas Rutte / Francesco Fotia/AGF/SIPA / Francesco Fotia/AGF/SIPA

“When allies supply weapons systems (to Ukraine), it is best not to limit them,” M. Rutte said before a meeting with European defense ministers in Brussels.

He expressed concern about Russia’s growing alliances with North Korea, Iran and China.

M. Rutte warnedthat Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot be allowed to win in Ukraine.

“Why is it so important that V. Putin does not get what he wants?” Because otherwise, we will have an emboldened Russia at our border, and I am absolutely convinced that it will not stop there,” M. Rutte told reporters in Brussels.

He was before urged Western countries to increase support for Ukraine in the fight against Russian invasion.

“We have to do more than just support Ukraine in the fight. We must raise the price on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his powerful and authoritarian friends by giving Ukraine the support it needs to change the trajectory of the conflict,” the NATO chief told reporters ahead of talks in Paris with French leader Emmanuel Macron.

Mr. Rutte, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, who has visited the country several times since the start of the Russian invasion, promised that NATO would continue to support Kyiv under his leadership.

Markas Rutte / SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP

Markas Rutte / SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP

“V. Putin must understand that we will not give up, that we want Ukraine to win in the end”, – said he took office and added that he wanted to “increase our support for Ukraine and bring it even closer to NATO.”

The new head of NATO in October statedthat Russian President V. Putin must understand that the Alliance’s support for Ukraine, which is fighting Moscow’s invasion, will not waver.

“The more we help Ukraine at the moment, the sooner it will end,” NATO Secretary General said at the press conference.

Although Mr. Rutte repeatedly expressed his support for the defense of Ukraine, after the US authorization to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia, he did not announce that NATO intends to deploy Alliance troops in Ukraine.

15min did not find any statement in which Mr. Rutte would suggest direct intervention of NATO troops in the conflict.

Alliance troops in Ukraine

The narrative that NATO soldiers are participating in the war with Russia has been repeated more than once. While some world leaders are a bit more humble about the idea, others are adamant about not sending troops to war.

E. Macronas / / JEANNE ACCORSINI/SIPA

E. Macronas / / JEANNE ACCORSINI/SIPA

French President E. Macron in February statedthat although there is no consensus on sending ground troops of Western countries to Ukraine, nothing should be ruled out.

These words caused a real storm among the leaders of European countries. Most have said they will not send troops to Ukraine, while French officials have confirmed that troops could be sent not to fight Russian forces but to support operations such as demining.

The then NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg retortedthat the Alliance does not plan to send troops to Ukraine. There are no signs that Mr Rutte’s attitude has changed on the matter.

Speculations about sending troops to Ukraine then denied and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

AFP/Scanpix/President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky

AFP/Scanpix/President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky

V. Zelensky himself never has not asked The West sends troops to fight Russia. Before that confirmed and US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

“President V. Zelensky is not asking for it. He only asks for means and capacity. He never asked for foreign troops to fight for his country,” said a Security Council representative.

NATO announced in October in the statement confirmed that NATO does not plan to enter the war with Russia.

“NATO does not seek confrontation and does not pose a threat to Russia. The Alliance will continue to respond unitedly and responsibly to Russian threats and actions. We are strengthening deterrence and defense, supporting our partners and building resilience,” the statement said.

It also specifically states that NATO is not at war with Russia and is not participating in the war in Ukraine, but supports that country’s right to self-defense.

BBC from 2022 m. checked Russia’s claims about NATO troops in Ukraine. According to them, NATO member countries provide weapons and logistical support, but do not send troops to Ukraine, which is not a member of the Alliance.

15min and before denied claims that Western soldiers are fighting in Ukraine.

15min verdict: lie. Mr. Rutte did not announce that NATO troops will be sent to the war in Ukraine to directly control the long-range missiles.

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Source: www.15min.lt