Moscow claimed to have intercepted eight American-made ATACMS missiles before they hit its territory, announces the European edition of Politico. Fired from Ukraine in early January, they were reportedly shot down while targeting the Belgorod region, in southwest Russia. Dozens of Ukrainian drones were also reportedly shot down. Enough to provoke the anger of Russia.
“This action carried out by the kyiv regime, with the help of its Western supporters, will be subject to reprisals”we can read in a press release from the Russian Defense Ministry, published on Telegram. The Russian authorities are nevertheless not “entered into the details of the measures they intend to take in response” recent Ukrainian shootings, notes the Brussels team of the American newspaper. And “Ukraine has not made any comments regarding this strike”.
A new “escalation”?
“Moscow believes that the use of these missiles [ATACMS]with a range of up to 300 kilometers, constitutes a significant escalation of the conflict”contextualise CNN. Ukrainian forces have reportedly used it several times since outgoing US President Joe Biden gave them authorization last November.
The same month, Russia responded by firing a new type of experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine, “which according to her would be impossible to intercept by Western defense systems”. She assured that she could repeat the experience, this time targeting the Ukrainian capital, if the forces of kyiv were to provoke a new “escalade”.
In a second article, the American channel notes that the term“escalade” is used by the Kremlin on purpose, in order to “to force Westerners to understand the conflict from Russia’s point of view, and to push them to see above all an ‘escalation’ of violence, in the Ukrainian attempts at resistance against the Russian aggressor”.
The objective? Dissuading them from supporting kyiv. So far, every time Americans and Europeans have crossed the red lines established by Russia, “the country’s worst threats have not come true” et “what was considered taboo has become the norm”.
Swiss
