Moscow, September 12, 2024 – The Europe Today: Russian Senator Aleksey Pushkov has suggested that Washington and London may have already decided to allow Kiev to use long-range missiles to strike targets deep inside Russian territory. Pushkov made the claim on Wednesday, pointing to increasing media reports as a sign that public opinion is being prepared for such a move.
Citing anonymous government sources, The Guardian reported that Britain has quietly given approval for Ukraine to use ‘Storm Shadow’ missiles for these strikes. However, according to the report, London is not expected to make the decision public.
“The decision to strike Russian territory is clearly being prepared,” Pushkov stated on his Telegram channel. “There are too many conversations and hints about it for it to be reversed. Even if it has not been made yet, it looks like it will be a matter of days. The leak via The Guardian is not accidental. Public opinion is being prepared.”
Limitations on the use of Western-supplied weapons were originally imposed to allow the US and its allies to maintain the stance that they were not directly involved in the conflict with Russia, even as military aid to Ukraine exceeded $200 billion. However, Kiev has been pushing for these restrictions to be lifted since May.
According to The Guardian, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave a strong indication during his visit to Kiev on Wednesday that Washington may allow Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles against Russian targets. The report suggested that the decision may have already been made behind closed doors. Blinken also mentioned Iran’s alleged delivery of missiles to Moscow, a factor that appears to have influenced Washington’s stance.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who accompanied Blinken to Kiev, echoed these concerns, calling the alleged Iranian missile shipment a “significant and dangerous escalation” and noting that it had impacted the thinking in both London and Washington. “The escalator here is Russian President Vladimir Putin,” Lammy said, referring to what he called a new “axis” between Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Iran has denied supplying missiles to Russia, dismissing the accusations as “psychological warfare.” Tehran pointed out the irony of such claims coming from countries that are actively arming Ukraine.
An open letter from 27 US congressmen and senators, addressed to President Joe Biden on Wednesday, did not mention Iranian missiles. Instead, it focused on Ukraine’s recent incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region, describing it as a turning point in the conflict. The letter emphasized that Ukraine’s actions were a sign of resistance to Putin’s rule, and argued that the West should continue to support Ukraine in its defense of liberty.
Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov warned that the US is “paving the way to World War III” with its continued military support for Ukraine. “It is impossible to negotiate with terrorists. They must be destroyed,” Antonov stated. He drew a parallel to Russia’s fight against fascism during the Great Patriotic War, asserting that the goals of Russia’s current military operation would be fully achieved. “No one should doubt that it will be so,” he added.
Tensions between the West and Russia continue to rise as both sides brace for potential escalation in the conflict.
