The US may send long-range multiple rocket systems to Ukraine. Russia has warned against any such transfers and may see them as provocative.
The US government may send Ukraine its long-range multiple rocket systems, but fears that they may escalate the war. President Zelensky had urged its delivery to deal with Russian bombardment in the Eastern Donbas. However, Biden may reconsider sending weapons that can “strike deep into Russia.” Any such move would escalate the conflict and draw NATO into a direct war with Russia.
Ukraine is already using the US to deliver howitzers against Russia. These have an effective range of 25 km. On the other hand, the M270 MLRS has an effective range of 300 km. It can also fire short-range rockets that range around 70 km Sending short-range rockets would keep the conflict in Ukraine and significantly improve its arsenal.
The Washington Post recently quoted a US official saying that the White House may give Ukraine the rocket systems. However, it would withhold sending long-range warheads to the Ukrainians. The White House’s nod comes in the wake of Russia’s continued bombardment of Severodonetsk.
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Apart from the US, the UK also has the MLRS. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Ukraine should acquire them. However, he hasn’t indicated that the UK would provide them with that. Currently, Denmark has supplied Ukraine with its Harpoon anti-ship cruise missiles to defend the Black Sea port of Odesa. These missiles have a range of 130km.
West Waging ‘Proxy War’-Russia
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, accuses the West of waging a “proxy war” against Russia. This would inevitably escalate the conflict. He also accused Western powers of “pumping up the Ukrainian nationalists with weapons.” A presenter on Russian state TV also warned the US of crossing “a red line” by supplying the MLRS to Ukraine. This may provoke a “very harsh response from Russia.”
TOS-2 Tosochka in action. Russians are currently using them in Ukraine, source, TASS
So far, Russia has used its latest long-range rocket systems against Ukrainian targets in Kharkiv. The weapon ,TOS-2 Tosochka, creates a massive explosion by igniting a gas cloud on impact. This would deprive anyone in the area of oxygen.
Read More – Ukraine: Russian Troops Enter Severodonetsk
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