NYT: The US is considering helping Ukraine with strikes on Crimea The US authorities are leaning towards the decision that Ukraine needs to provide weapons to strike Crimea, even if such a step increases the risk of escalation, The New York Times writes, citing sources.
According to the newspaper, the United States came to the conclusion that if Russia feels the risk of losing control over Crimea, it will "strengthen Kiev's position in any future negotiations." Russian Ambassador to the United States Antonov promised that Russia will destroy all weapons that the West sends to Kiev.
The administration of US President Joe Biden is gradually softening its position on the issue of providing Ukraine with funds that will allow it to strike targets in Crimea, The New York Times writes, citing sources among American officials.
"Crimea is Ukraine, and Ukraine has the right to defend itself and its sovereign territory within its internationally recognized borders," National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said.
Despite the fact that the United States has always considered Crimea to be the territory of Ukraine, Washington refused to provide Kiev with the means that would allow it to strike targets on the peninsula. The US military and officials in private conversations questioned the expediency of strikes on the Crimea, believing that the APU has "more suitable targets elsewhere on the battlefield," writes the NYT.
Now, according to the publication, the position of the administration has changed. The US authorities are inclined to the idea that if Russia feels the risk of losing control over Crimea, it will strengthen Ukraine's position in any future negotiations. In addition, among American officials and experts, fears related to the threat of a retaliatory strike by Moscow with tactical nuclear weapons have also weakened, while, in their opinion, the risk of such a scenario still persists.
What kind of weapons are we talking about
As the article emphasizes, the United States is still not ready to provide Ukraine with missiles whose flight range will allow striking targets in the Crimea. The possibility of using other supplied weapons, including HIMARS MLRS and Bradley armored vehicles, is also being discussed. They can be used to attack key supply routes for the peninsula, for example, the Crimean Bridge.
The presence of military bases in Crimea was the key reason for Russia's rapid seizure of control over the Kherson region. For the same reason, Kiev's main goal was to weaken the grouping of Russian troops on the peninsula, said former commander-in-chief of the US army in Europe, Lieutenant General Frederick Hodges.
According to government analysts, Bradley armored vehicles, along with British tanks and armored fighting vehicles that France and Germany have agreed to send to Ukraine, can become the vanguard of armored troops that Ukraine can use in a counteroffensive in winter or spring, the publication claims.
"Any Ukrainian infantry advancing through these areas will face significant fire from Russian positions, and Bradleys provide useful firepower and protection for troops," Seth J. said. Jones, Senior Vice President, Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Commenting on the NYT publication, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the decision remains with the Ukrainian authorities.
"We did not encourage and did not allow our Ukrainian partners to strike outside their borders. Everything we provide to Ukraine is intended for a single purpose - for its self-defense," Price said.
Russia has promised to respond
The Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, said that Russia will destroy all weapons that the West sends to Kiev, as "during the Great Patriotic War."
"The rhetoric of American officials is becoming more and more belligerent. The State Department, through statements divorced from reality that "Crimea is Ukraine," and the Armed Forces of Ukraine can use American weapons to protect their territory, in fact, pushes the Kiev regime to commit terrorist acts in Russia," Antonov said.
In his opinion, from such a position of the American authorities, the risks of escalation of the conflict will only increase.
Antonov said about the New York Times publication that American journalists "support this attitude of the Biden administration" and "justify the attacks on Crimea."
According to him, arms supplies to Ukraine "will only lead to an increase in civilian casualties," and "it is simply impossible to defeat the Russian Federation."
According to CNN, the United States may announce a new large package of military assistance to Ukraine on January 20. Other Western countries may also announce new arms supplies, which will gather for a meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Alice Andreeva