2023-09-12 19:30:00
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told the BBC on Sunday that the Ukrainian counteroffensive had only 30 to 45 days left before the assault would be hampered. by weather conditions.
Since launching the assault in early June, Ukraine has failed to regain much territory. Milley was quick to add that it was still too early to conclude that the counteroffensive had failed. Could he say otherwise?
On condition of anonymity, other officials told the Washington Post that U.S. intelligence determined that Ukraine would fail to cut the land bridge between Russia and Crimea, the main objective of the offensive.
The largely unsuccessful attacks by Ukrainian forces have caused them heavy losses while kyiv must prepare for a Russian winter offensive which will undoubtedly use weapons and ammunition supplied by the North Koreans.
The American government appears divided on the military situation in Ukraine. Last fall, after Ukraine reconquered Kharkiv and Kherson, General Milley called for peace talks.
But the White House and the State Department chose war over diplomacy. The Biden administration and its NATO allies have provided tens of billions in military equipment for Ukraine to launch its counteroffensive.
Climbing crosses a new threshold
In what appears to be a further escalation of the conflict – bringing the United States and Russia closer to direct confrontation – Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on the show This Week from ABC that it was up to Ukraine to decide whether to target Russian territory with U.S.-supplied missiles.
> reported that the United States could soon equip Ukraine with tactical missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers. Moscow called these missiles a “red line.” ATACMS missiles would allow Ukraine to hit targets nearly four times further than with the M270 rockets currently supplied by the United States. Asked about the matter, White House spokesman John Kirby said no final decision had been made.
Ukraine is already increasing its drone attacks in Russia using satellite intelligence provided by its Western allies. In retaliation for increasing attacks on its territory, Russia could intensify the war by targeting NATO countries such as Romania or Poland.
On June 29, the Polish Prime Minister declared in Brussels that he would like to see “American nuclear weapons quickly installed on its territory”, taking into account the Russian tactical nuclear weapons deployed on Belarusian soil.
Russian falcons and “red lines”
Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, the United States and NATO have shown little concern about the Kremlin’s “red lines.”
In Moscow, Russian hawks are increasingly dissatisfied with Putin. They want dazzling gestures to deter the growing involvement of the United States and NATO in the conflict. Enough to encourage him to make draconian decisions.
If Kiev ever manages to take control of “Russian territories”, Moscow will resort to nuclear weapons, warned former President Dmitry Medvedev, currently vice-president of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
Russia considers the regions of Ukraine that it illegally annexed last year and in 2014 to be integral parts of its territory.
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