US intelligence warns of risks of allowing Ukraine to launch long-range strikes
U.S. intelligence agencies have warned that Russia could take tougher retaliation, including potentially lethal attacks on the United States and its allies, if Ukraine is allowed to use long-range missiles supplied by the United States, Britain and France to strike deep inside Russian territory, the New York Times reported.
The news portal cited a previously unpublished assessment that also downplays the strategic potential impact of these long-range missiles on the war, citing the limited supply of them to Ukraine and the uncertainty of how many more Western countries can provide.
The analysis highlights the high risks and uncertain benefits of the decision that US President Joe Biden must now make after September 26. The meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House.
President J. Biden’s difficulty in making a decision on Ukraine’s request to provide long-range missiles stems in part from concerns raised by US intelligence, American officials told the New York Times. Both publicly and privately, V. Zelenskiy sought to obtain permission to target Russian territory with modern missiles.
Vladimir Putin has repeatedly used threats to deter the US and its allies from sending more sophisticated weaponry to Ukraine. Critics say the Biden administration has been overly cautious, and say their slow, incremental approach to arming Ukraine has hurt their actions on the battlefield. On the other hand, proponents of the current strategy point to its effectiveness in avoiding major Russian retaliation, although they acknowledge that such a situation may now be at risk.
The intelligence assessment points to a range of possible Russian reactions if the US and European nations allow Ukraine to launch long-range strikes with missiles they supply. These reactions could include increased acts of sabotage and arson targeting infrastructure across Europe, and even potentially lethal attacks on military facilities owned by the United States and its allies.
According to US officials, most of the sabotage in Europe so far has been orchestrated by Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU). If Putin decides to escalate this covert campaign in response to missile strikes deep inside Russian territory, officials believe the Kremlin will likely continue to operate in the shadows, avoiding direct and overt attacks on U.S. and European military facilities to avoid sparking a wider conflict.
Source: www.15min.lt
