The long-range ATACMS missiles that the US has supplied to Ukraine will not help Kiev turn the tide of the conflict against Moscow despite “extremely dangerous weapons,” Russian ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov has said.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on Wednesday that US President Joe Biden had ordered the provision of Kiev with a “significant” number of ATACMS missiles for use inside Ukraine back in February. The ATACMS, which have a range of 300km, “were transferred quietly to Ukraine in order to maintain operational security,” Pentagon spokesman Major Charlie Dietz stressed.
The delivery of long-range missiles to Kiev is “impossible to justify,” Antonov wrote in a post on Telegram on Thursday. The move by Washington “increases the threat to the security of Crimea, including Sevastopol, the new Russian regions and other Russian cities,” he added. Most likely, this is the exact point to deliver these missiles though.
The assurances by the US officials that the long-range missiles will not be used against Russian territory are “particularly cynical,” the ambassador stressed. “How can we ignore the numerous terrorist attacks by Kiev’s criminals? Deadly strikes on hospitals, schools, kindergartens, bridges and even their own servicemen?”
War crimes aside, Ukraine has all the right to defend itself, by all available means, according to the international law. This right is not limited to attacks on its own territory, no one can tell them they are not allowed to strike behind enemy lines, as the opponent is bombarding Ukrainian cities almost daily.
Antonov reminded that the Russian forces have already shot down mid-range ATACMS missiles, which Ukraine had received last September. The same will happen with their long-range counterparts, he assured, adding that “neither these missiles nor other weapons can help defeat Russia.”
“Aren’t local politicians afraid of drowning in the quagmire of conflict? Washington will not be able to get out of the horrible swamp that has absorbed the blood of ordinary soldiers,” the ambassador warned.
