The Russian president stated that such moves are another mistake by the US and will only extend the conflict
FLE PHOTO: US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). © South Korean Defence Ministry / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned US deliveries of ATACMS long-range missiles to Ukraine’s forces when speaking to the press in Beijing on Wednesday. Putin argued that Moscow would still be able to repel such attacks, making it yet another mistake on Washington’s part.
“We, of course, will be able to repel these attacks,” Putin said, suggesting the US missiles will ultimately fail to have a significant impact on the situation on the battlefield. “What’s most important is that [these deliveries], fundamentally, won’t be able to change the situation on the contact line at all. We can say this for sure,” Putin emphasized.
He also added that the ATACMS delivered will not be able to help Ukraine turn the tide on the battlefield and that “there is nothing good for Ukraine in this sense. It just prolongs the agony.”
“This is yet another mistake on the part of the United States,” Putin claimed, explaining that had Washington refrained from sending the missiles, it could have later positioned itself as the “good guy” for its attempts to prevent needless casualties. “But they did it, and there will be no result. That’s why it’s a mistake,” Putin said.
Putin’s comments came after the New York Times reported that the US had secretly transferred some 20 ATACMS missiles to Ukraine under the condition that Kiev would not use them against targets on Russian territory.
In his remarks, the Russian leader also admitted that these deliveries would nevertheless cause harm and create additional risks for Russia.
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However, the most significant error, according to the Russian leader, is that the US is becoming more and more personally involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and it is becoming increasingly obvious. “Let no one try to claim that they didn’t have a hand in this. We believe that they have,” Putin said.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zeelsnky personally thanked the US and President Joe Biden for supplying Kiev’s forces with long-range ATACMS missiles. That’s as the Ukrainian military issued a statement claiming that the US-made missiles were used for the first time to strike Russian airfields and helicopters in the Lugansk and Zaporozhye regions.
