Following Russia's'red line' warnings, the US Department of Defense has asked Biden to cancel the supply of ATACMS to Ukraine.
Following Russia's'red line' warnings, the US Department of Defense has asked Biden to cancel the supply of ATACMS to Ukraine.
The US Department of Defense wrote to the White House, warning that putting long-range missile systems into Russian territory might "possibly spark a broader war."
IMAGE: AP
Fearing that supplying advanced long-range weaponry would put Russia in direct conflict with the US, senior Pentagon officials urged the White House to abandon preparations to send such military equipment to Ukraine. The US Department of Defense (DoD) voiced worry on Saturday that providing Ukraine the requested MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) with a shooting range of 300+ kilometers "may be deployed against targets within Russian territory."
The Pentagon's request to halt the sale of ATACMS to Ukraine came after Russia warned the US that providing long-range weaponry capable of being deployed by Ukrainian forces to target Russian territory may result in a catastrophic escalation. Moscow has warned Washington, claiming that it is about to become a "party to the fight."
Russia threatens that the United States will become a direct party to the conflict.
According to Russian state-owned news agency Ria Novosti, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the US will have crossed a "red line" by sending long-range missiles to Kyiv and that it would suffer repercussions if it does not listen Moscow's repeated warnings.
"By supplying weaponry to the Kyiv dictatorship, the US and its allies become collaborators in its war crimes," Zakharova added. "If the US decides to arm Kyiv with longer-range missiles, it would cross the line and become a direct participant in the battle. We reserve the right to defend our land with [all we have at our disposal]." According to Zakharova.
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