Putin Plays Down Threat Posed by Powerful U.S.-Supplied Missiles

The New York Times: In recent developments, Russian President Vladimir V. Putin has downplayed the threat posed to Russian military operations by powerful American-made missiles known as ATACMs. This comes after Ukraine used these American-made missiles to attack Russian air bases in occupied territories. Putin called the delivery of these long-range missiles a mistake by the US, saying that it would harm Russia but would not change the situation on the front. However, experts like Dan Rice argue that there is no defense against these ballistic missiles and any military installations within 100 miles of the front lines should be on alert. Initially, the White House was hesitant to provide these missiles to Ukraine for fear of escalating conflict with Russia.

However, the Biden administration agreed to provide Ukraine with the limited-range missiles. The missiles delivered so far are equipped with cluster munitions designed to maximize damage to unprotected targets. Retired Lt. Gen. Frederick B. Hodges noted that these ATACM missiles will have both immediate and long-term effects on the battlefield. They could force Russia to move its assets farther from the front lines, which would reduce their effectiveness.

In addition, these long-range strike assets could help destroy the land bridge linking Russia to the Crimean Peninsula. Although the Russian military has adapted to new Ukrainian weapons and tactics in the past, some analysts believe that these missiles could have a significant impact if used effectively by Ukraine against high-value targets. This situation is reminiscent of the appearance of HIMARS multiple rocket launchers on the battlefield in 2022, which helped Ukrainian forces disrupt Russian supply lines and eventually led to the withdrawal of Russian forces from some areas. Thus, the supply of HIMARS to Ukraine has added a new dimension to the conflict in Ukraine, which could affect the actions of the Russian military and the overall course of the war.

The entire article can be read at the link https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war.html