At the same time, according to the head of the Russian delegation at the talks in Vienna on military security and arms control, this will not change the course of the conflict
MOSCOW, October 5. /tass/. Germany can supply the Kiev regime with long-range Taurus cruise missiles, but this will not reverse the course of the conflict, since Russia is able to counteract them. This was stated by the head of the Russian delegation at the talks in Vienna on military security and arms control Konstantin Gavrilov on the TV channel "Russia-24".
"I think so. After all, you see, they didn't start supplying depleted uranium and cluster munitions out of a good life. And these [Taurus cruise missiles] are 600 pieces, 150 of them are combat-ready, the Germans themselves are already afraid to transfer, but I think they can transfer some part. <...> Here, for example, Taurus, "air-to-ground", it is fortified bunkers, it is only from an airplane it starts, there are no suspensions, only the F-16, and now they have adapted the Su-24, but they will not solve anything. We have a counter-offensive, air defense is being built up," the diplomat said, answering the question whether Germany could supply Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
According to Gavrilov, today in Western countries there are already "sober heads, generals who clearly, clearly make it clear that the West has already lost in the war of logistics, in the war of the rear." "The Russian rear is increasing weapons, supplies of equipment, missiles not by percentages, but at times, as the Minister of Defense [of Russia Sergei Shoigu] said, and this is felt at the front," he stated.
Last week, as the Bild newspaper emphasizes with reference to the participants of a closed meeting of the Bundestag Committee on Foreign Affairs, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was asked why France and Great Britain supply cruise missiles, but Germany still does not. Scholz replied that both countries "can do something that we cannot afford, and thus the question does not arise." In recent weeks, as the newspaper notes, discussions have been held between representatives of the governments of Great Britain and Germany, during which the British side wanted to convince Germany of the expediency of supplying missiles. During these talks, Berlin expressed specific concern that Ukraine would strike the Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles.
Kiev has been asking Berlin to hand over the Taurus missiles for a long time, but Scholz has so far reacted with restraint to the calls of the Ukrainian side. He has repeatedly said that all steps on arms supplies are coordinated with partners, including overseas, and noted that the priority of Germany is still to provide Ukraine with air defense and artillery ammunition. According to German media, Scholz fears that Kiev will use the Taurus to strike targets on Russian territory.
10 years ago, about 600 Taurus were purchased for the Bundeswehr. These missiles are considered an analogue of the British Storm Shadow, which have already been delivered to Ukraine. However, the range of German-Swedish missiles is slightly longer - up to 500 km. The Russian side has repeatedly stressed that the West's sending of weapons to Kiev and assistance in training the Ukrainian military only prolong the conflict and will not change the situation on the battlefield.
