Escalation: Biden Gives Ukraine Greenlight To Fire Lethal Long-Range Ballistics Deep Into Russia. Russia Warns Of Retaliation

The Russia-Ukraine war may have reached a significant turning point as today it was revealed after stock market trading was closed that President Biden had announced that he would permit Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia. This move will, of course, no doubt trigger a serious escalation if these strikes are in fact carried out, resulting in Russia striking U.S. and NATO-allied targets.

A U.S. official said in a statement issued today by the administration:

The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use U.S.-supplied weapons for counter-fire purposes in the Kharkiv region so Ukraine can hit back against Russian forces that are attacking them or preparing to attack them.

Our policy with respect to prohibiting the use of ATACMS or long-range strikes inside of Russia has not changed,” the statement continued, referring to an artillery system, provided to Ukraine, that has the capability to reach deep inside Russian territory.

This is a stark policy shift that saw the U.S. tell Ukraine that they were not allowed to use their weapons to strike targets within Russia. Apparently Biden approved the move over two weeks ago.

Interestingly enough, hours prior Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said that their policy has not changed and did not endorse Ukraine using American weapons in Russia. During the press meeting she stated:

“So, there’s been no change in our policy. The security assistance that we provide Ukraine is to be used within Ukraine, and we don’t encourage attacks or enable attacks inside of Russia. We believe that Ukraine can be effective by focusing on tactical and operational targets that directly influence the conflict within its boundaries rather than, you know, going after larger geopolitical targets within Russia. So, our policy hasn’t changed.

She added, “We’ve always said from the very beginning that the security assistance we provide Ukraine is for use within Ukraine. If anything changes, of course, we’d let you know. But right now, that still remains our policy. And we believe that we’ve given them the capabilities and the systems to be effective on the battlefield right now.”

Other allied nations in NATO such as the United Kingdom, France and Germany, have already announced they will allow Ukraine to use their gifted artillery inside Russia. Singh was questioned why the U.S. has been the “odd man out.” Singh pushed back against this, claiming “the security assistance that we provide Ukraine, we believe that Ukraine can be successful on the battlefield by using it within Ukraine.”

I will be crystal clear – there’s been no change to our policy. The security assistance that we provide Ukraine is for use within Ukraine.

She emphasized

Yesterday French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz said in a press conference that Ukraine should be allowed to use weapons within Russia.

We think that we should allow them to neutralize the military sites from which the missiles are fired.

Macron said

For weeks now, it was being reported that the U.S. was looking to shift its policy.

On May 15th, during a visit to Kiev with President Zelensky, Secretary of Defense Anthony Blinken hinted that they would be changing their stance. “We’ve not enabled or encouraged strikes outside of Ukraine, but ultimately, Ukraine has to make decisions for itself about how it’s going to conduct this war,” he said at the time.

Blinken would later again reveal a week later that the U.S. was looking to shift its attitude towards allowing Ukraine to U.S.-backed weapons in Russia, according to a New York Times report.

Last week Zelensky said in an interview: “We are negotiating with partners so that we can use their weapons against buildups of Russian equipment on the border and even on their territory. So far, there is nothing positive.”

Blinken signaled this shift yesterday as well.

Russian officials have made it very clear, however, that this will be seen as a major escalation and crossing their ‘red line,’ and could very well result in Russia carrying out their own retaliatory strikes against Western military targets.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement over two weeks ago:

“The Kyiv regime and its Western masterminds should at long last admit that their reckless steps are pushing the situation ever closer towards the explosive tipping point. The military risks this is creating and the ensuing threats to our country have clearly been outlined in the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation and the Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence.”

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin also warned the West that they are playing with fire in their policy shifts.

This constant escalation can lead to serious consequences. If these serious consequences occur in Europe, how will the U.S. behave, bearing in mind our parity in the field of strategic weapons? Hard to say. Do they want global conflict?

So, these representatives of NATO countries, especially in Europe, especially in small countries, must be aware of what they are playing with.

[…] Well, then, they will reap what they have sown. The same thing can happen if long-range precision weapons are used.

Putin said

Yesterday Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was asked about the threat of Ukraine directly attacking Russian territory in an interview with Sputnik.

The interviewer asked, “Russian strategic objects, including nuclear ones, may come under threat from American short-range missiles if the US deploys ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. What additional nuclear deterrence measures might Moscow take in this case? Would a reciprocal response from the Russian side be sufficient?”

Lavrov replied:

You are undoubtedly correct that the deployment of American ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles (INF) in the mentioned regions would pose a serious security challenge for us. This issue is not only significant for us. In a joint statement following the recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to China, it was noted that such destabilizing actions by the US represent a direct threat to both our country and China. Therefore, we have agreed with our Chinese partners to increase cooperation to counteract Washington’s irresponsible behavior, which undermines international stability.

The implementation of U.S. plans to deploy ground-based INF missiles will not go unanswered by us. Specifically, in this scenario, the abandonment of unilateral self-imposed restrictions introduced by Russia after a US withdrawal from the INF Treaty is inevitable. Additional steps in the field of nuclear deterrence are also not ruled out, as forward-deployed American missiles could target our command posts and locations of our nuclear forces. Decisions on these matters are within the competence of the president of the Russian Federation.

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AUTHOR COMMENTARY

This is a very serious escalation of the war. When, not if, but when a serious target is allowed to be hit within Russia, then get ready to watch the fireworks go off…

This major news story was revealed behind the backdrop of the ongoing court ruling against former President Trump and the hush money scandal with that porn star, so most people are more enamored with that and will most likely have missed this big news.

Mark 13:7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. [8] For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

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[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).

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