Due to the US ban on the use of American weapons for strikes on strategic targets on the territory of the Russian Federation, Ukraine could not take advantage of the chance to simultaneously destroy dozens of Su-34 aircraft of the criminal army of the Russian Federation.
Points of attention
- Due to the US ban on American weapons, Ukraine missed the opportunity to launch a devastating attack on the Russian army's Su-34 fighter-bombers.
- Ukrainian drones successfully targeted a Russian airbase, damaging Su-34 aircraft and ammunition stocks.
- The USA's position on allowing Ukraine to use American weapons depends on the situation at the front and the needs of the Ukrainian military.
- Russia preemptively withdrew Su-34 aircraft from border airfields following negotiations between Ukraine and the USA.
- The decision on expanding capabilities to shoot down Russian missiles collectively rests with NATO members, according to the US State Department.
How the US position did not allow Ukraine to strike a powerful blow against the planes of the Russian army
The publication notes that Ukraine has been asking its Western partners for several months to allow the use of ballistic missiles it has received to launch strikes on airfields with fighter-bombers of the criminal army of the Russian Federation, which are based near the border with Ukraine.
It is emphasized that after receiving a refusal from its partners, Ukraine intensified attacks on the most vulnerable Russian military airfields with the use of its own weapons.
In particular, last Saturday, Ukrainian drones attacked the Morozovsk air base in the Rostov region, more than 200 km from the Ukrainian border.
As a result of this attack, a Su-34 fighter-bomber, an ammunition depot, and 2 more Su-34s were damaged.
In Ukraine, they expect to destroy Su-34 fighter-bombers at airfields near the Ukrainian border, as their dropping of air defense bombs becomes a decisive factor in the advance of the occupation army of the Russian Federation in the east of Ukraine.
However, journalists of the publication note that it is becoming increasingly difficult to carry out drone attacks, as the Russian occupiers transfer the planes to more protected air bases.
A rare opportunity to deliver a major blow to air defense infrastructure came this summer, when the Russian Air Force's 47th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment parked dozens of Su-34s out of about 100 in service at the Voronezh-Malshevo Air Base in southern Russia, 100 miles from the border with Ukraine. - is emphasized in the material.
It is noted that the aggressor country closely watched the negotiations between Ukraine and the USA regarding the permission for the expanded use of American ATACMS missiles.
Against this background, Russia made a precautionary decision to withdraw the Su-34 from Malshevo, Voronezh, and other border airfields.
Today, many Su-34s are based hundreds of miles from the border. They are not invulnerable to Ukrainian drones - the most distant models fly at a distance of more than 1,000 miles. But they are protected from most Ukrainian drones, as well as from ATACMS, the most powerful of which have a range of only 190 miles. If the White House ever authorizes ATACMS raids on Russian bases, it may be too late. The most valuable goals may be too far away, - the publication notes.
At the same time, the journalists add that part of the Su-34 and a certain amount of stockpiles of anti-aircraft missiles remain at such airfields as Morozovsk.
However, in order to stop the dropping of aerial bombs by enemy aircraft, Ukraine needs to destroy dozens of Su-34s, not a few units.
And a more reasonable redeployment of Russian troops makes this task increasingly difficult.
What does the USA say about Ukraine's permission to use American weapons for attacks on the Russian Federation
According to US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, quoted by the Voice of America, decisions will be made in Washington regarding the use of American weapons transferred to Ukraine for strikes against the Russian Federation, depending on the situation at the front.
Miller confirmed that for now the US position on the matter remains unchanged.
We continue to look at the needs of the Ukrainian military, assess the security situation and try to respond to their needs, - emphasized the spokesperson of the US State Department.
He stated that the situation is progressing from the very beginning to the present day.
In this way, we make appropriate decisions regarding the weapons we provide to Ukraine, as well as the restrictions, if any, that we impose on the use of these weapons, - said Miller.
At the same time, the State Department spokesman did not give a clear answer to the question of expanding the capabilities of Western partners and members of the North Atlantic Alliance to shoot down Russian missiles launched by the aggressor to attack Ukraine.
He noted that such a decision "must be taken collectively by NATO members."
