Expert: Ukraine knowingly oversteps boundaries.
On a Thursday night, Ukraine launches an attack on a vital radar installation on Russian soil. The response is highly critical, not only in Russia but also from US security experts who interpret this action as a strategic move, meant to convey a message to the US government.
A prominent US security expert, Phillips O'Brien, strongly believes that the Ukrainian attack on a missile early warning system in Russia was a calculated decision and a way to send a message to the West. He notes that many try to represent the Russian position in the debates, but they simply don't understand the Ukrainian motives. According to O'Brien, Ukraine believes there will be no nuclear strike.
Ukraine is claimed to have damaged a radar in the Russian region of Krasnodar that was part of the system for detecting incoming atomic rockets. This radar, Voronezh-DM, is said to have a range of 6,000 kilometers, monitoring the airspace over Crimea and western Europe all the way to the Atlantic. Its destruction could threaten regional security.
Former Russian ambassador to NATO Dmitri Rogozin foresees that this attack on a "key element of the military control of strategic nuclear forces" could speed up the world's progress towards a nuclear war. Independent Norwegian military expert Thord Are Iversen shares similar sentiments: "It's not a smart move to target such objects in times of international tension."
However, O'Brien holds a different view. He thinks Ukraine gained many benefits from this attack:
- Ukraine demonstrated its ability to strike deep into Russian territory, making Russia and the West aware of its capability and resolution.
- Ukraine showed that it's willing to take risks, which could deter Russia from further actions due to the fear of retaliation.
- Ukraine sent a message to the West, acting as a powerful ally in resisting Russian aggression.
- Ukraine has shown that it isn't afraid of escalating the conflict. This could potentially hold back Russia from escalating the conflict further.
The attack also highlighted a few things:
- No Russian target on Russian soil is safe - they need to reconsider their defensive strategy.
- It doesn't matter if US and Western weapons systems are allowed to target Russian military targets. The Ukrainians aren't daunted by this and will keep attacking.
- The significance of the attack lies in that it is aimed at an installation vital to Russian military defenses, Ukraine could be breaching Crimea's defenses.
- With Russia's lack of response, it becomes clear their nuclear threats are empty. "Russia can't risk using nuclear weapons against Ukraine, and the Ukrainians know that," said O'Brien.
It remains unclear whether Ukraine intended to convey a message to the US government through this attack. Biden insists against using US weapons for attacking Russian territory. However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had pushed for the use of US weapons to target Russian rocket and artillery positions barely across the border, insinuating that the new front in the war is the reason for this change.
Government officials involved in the talks claim that the growth of hostilities, with Russia placing rocket systems just across the border in Ukraine, is the reason for this change in attitude. "Moscow's forces stationed rocket systems close to the border near Kharkiv, knowing that the Ukrainians can only respond with the drones and other weapons supplied by the US," writes O'Brien.
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- Amidst the criticism, Ukraine defends its action, stating that the attack on the Russian radar installation was a response to repeated provocations and violations of its sovereignty, specifically the placement of nuclear weapons by Russia along its border.
- Despite the potential dangers and international scrutiny, some analysts argue that Ukraine's attack on the Russian radar installation served as a warning against further nuclear threats and demonstrated its resolve to protect its territory and strategic interests.
Source: www.ntv.de
