(CLO) The decision by the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory with long-range US missiles will escalate the conflict in Ukraine and could lead to World War III, senior Russian lawmakers said on Sunday.
Earlier on Sunday, two US officials and a source familiar with the decision revealed the decision, which represents a significant shift in Washington's policy in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Ukraine plans to carry out its first long-range strikes in the coming days, sources said, but did not disclose details due to operational security concerns.
US President Joe Biden (right) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in Fasano, Italy in June 2024. Photo: Reuters
Risk of war escalation and spread
"The West has decided to escalate to a level that could lead to the complete destruction of the Ukrainian state by tomorrow morning," Andrei Klishas, a senior member of the Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, said on Telegram.
Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy chairman of the international affairs committee of the Russian upper house of parliament, said Moscow's response would be immediate. "This is a huge step towards the start of World War III," state news agency TASS quoted Dzhabarov as saying.
President Vladimir Putin declared in September that the West would fight Russia directly if it allowed Ukraine to attack Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, a move he said would change the nature and scope of the conflict.
Russia will be forced to make "appropriate decisions" that Mr Putin called based on new threats.
Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma (the lower house of the Russian parliament), said that the US allowing Kiev to attack Russia with US ATACMS tactical missiles would lead to the toughest reaction, according to Russian news agencies.
"US missile strikes deep into Russian regions will inevitably lead to a serious escalation, threatening much more serious consequences," Slutsky was quoted as saying by TASS news agency.
The US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Photo: US Army
Will Ukraine attack in the coming days?
The Biden administration's decision comes two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20 and after months of calls by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Ukraine's military to use US weapons to strike deep into Russia.
In his evening speech, Mr Zelenskyy said that the missiles would "speak for themselves", meaning that the information would be proven by the missiles themselves.
“Today, many media outlets say we were allowed to take appropriate action,” he said. “But the attacks were not carried out with words.”
According to sources, Ukraine's first deep strike may be carried out with ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 306 km in the coming days.
A spokesperson for Mr Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But one of his closest foreign policy advisers, Richard Grenell, criticized the decision. “Intensify the war before leaving office,” Grenell said in a post on X in response to the news.
Since Mr Trump was elected on November 5, senior officials in the Biden administration have repeatedly said they would use the remaining time to ensure Ukraine can fight effectively next year or negotiate peace with Russia from a “position of strength”.
Due to personnel shortages, the Ukrainian army lost some territory captured in an offensive in Russia's Kursk region in August that Mr. Zelenskyy said could be used as a bargaining chip at the negotiating table.
“Like everything else, I think history will say this decision was made too late,” said Alex Plitsas, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. “Like ATACMS, HIMARS, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Abrams tanks, and F-16s. They were all needed much sooner.”
Republican Rep. Mike Turner, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, also said in a statement that the Biden administration's decision was too late and still too restrictive on Ukraine.
Hoang Anh (according to TASS, Reuters, CNN)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nga-canh-bao-ve-the-chien-iii-sau-khi-my-cho-phep-ukraine-su-dung-vu-khi-tam-xa-tan-cong-nga-post321770.html
Comment (0)