Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that NATO was technically capable of striking deep into Russia with long-range missiles, so the alliance would grant authorisation to itself rather than Ukraine, according to Russian media.
This [using NATO high-precision weapons] can only be done by specialists from NATO countries, as it requires space reconnaissance, which Ukraine naturally does not have. The only question is whether they [NATO] will allow themselves to strike deep into Russian territory or not.
Amid the stalled incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been trying for months to persuade his allies to supply long-range missiles and authorise strikes on Russian territory with them. This is one of the conditions of Zelensky’s victory plan presented in European capitals and Washington recently.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Kyiv last week to reiterate support for Ukraine ahead of the US presidential election. However, he also urged Ukraine not to strike deep into Russia with long-range missiles, while the US media accused Zelensky of meddling in the presidential election.
Military experts voice concern that the loss of defensive positions in eastern Ukraine could prompt Kyiv and its backers to take more radical measures, including permission to hit targets on Russian territories with long-range weapons.
