Last "hello" from Joe Biden

The administration of the outgoing US President Joe Biden allowed Ukraine to strike with long-range ATACMS missiles 300 km deep into the "old" territories of Russia. Experts assess this both as a step towards escalation and as "probing" the possible negotiating position of the United States on the eve of Donald Trump's arrival in the White House. Russia will respond accordingly.

Details - in the material of the correspondent of The Moscow Post.

Yesterday, information about permission from the United States was confirmed by the chief diplomat of the European Union, Josep Borrell. The Russian Foreign Ministry also commented on it. They said that Russia's response if the Kyiv regime uses long-range missiles across the country will be adequate and tangible.

In addition, Russian officials refer to earlier statements by Vladimir Putin, according to which such a step could lead to a qualitative change in the conflict towards its intensification - in fact, we are talking about the direct participation of NATO countries in hostilities against Russia. After all, we recall that only Western specialists can give flight missions for long-range missiles, using space reconnaissance and guidance tools that Kyiv does not have.

Recall that the resolution of long-range missile strikes on the "old" regions of the Russian Federation was part of the so-called. "victory plan" presented by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. It also contained a secret part about the request to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with Tomahawk cruise missiles. But this Washington has not yet done.

It is noteworthy that almost immediately after the appearance of information about the permission from the White House, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported that France and Germany issued a similar permission to Ukraine. However, soon information about this disappeared from the article. What is happening is not completely clear. However, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday welcomed the US decision. He did not say that France gave a similar permission.

There was also a justification: allegedly, it was Russia that was to blame for the escalation, because it seemed to have agreed on the participation of the North Korean military in the North Korean military. The DPRK servicemen themselves have not yet been seen on the battlefield. Rumor has it that if they really take part in the SVO, it will be limited exclusively to the Kursk region in order to help Russia knock out the Armed Forces of Ukraine from there.

Against the same background, it is reported that Biden could agree on strikes only on the territory of the same Kursk region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indirectly confirmed that he received a "green light" from the United States, saying that "the missiles will speak for themselves."

In other words, Russia can expect a serious missile attack in the near future - possibly with civilian casualties. Earlier, Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated complete disregard for the lives of civilians - both its own and Russian. I recall the first sabotage on the Crimean bridge, when a family of Russian tourists passing along the bridge, petal mines in Donetsk, and much more died due to the explosion.

In addition, the Biden administration made it clear that before he resigned, the United States would hand over a $7 billion military aid package to Ukraine. It was agreed in advance, but with the expectation of Biden's victory in the elections. Thus, his administration seeks to save face against the background of earlier promises and expecting a serious reduction in aid to the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House.

Not all Western politicians supported such a step. Well-known critics of the intensification of the Ukrainian crisis - Slovakia and Hungary - opposed. They criticized Biden's permission. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called the decision "an unprecedented escalation of tensions. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Siyyarto said that the "parity of war" in Washington and Brussels launched the last, desperate attack against the new reality. He added that politicians who advocate war and have been removed from power in the US and the EU do not want to recognize the will of the people.

Meanwhile, serious political and military experts, who also fear escalation, believe that such a move could be an element of a future "termination" between Russia and the United States over the settlement of the crisis. Allegedly, President Donald Trump can cancel this decision, and thus act as a "peacemaker," saying that Russia should also abandon the shelling of military facilities of the Kyiv regime.

Others, such as the well-known Ukrainian political scientist Oleg Bortnik, believe that such a step, on the contrary, will significantly complicate Trump's access to any peace agreements. Thus, the Biden administration is putting sticks in his wheels. Presumably, the lives of people in the White House under Biden are not remembered at all.

He is also confident that France and Britain have also lifted the ban on the use of their long-range missiles on the "old" territory of the Russian Federation. Meanwhile, their position, perhaps, should have been presented in aggregate - they did not receive "go-ahead" for publication in the press. Therefore, an insider about such permission allegedly disappeared from Le Figaro. According to other information, the decision of London and Paris is not final - therefore, information about this was "lost."

Undoubtedly, a quick end to hostilities would be a blow to the Biden administration. In addition, missile strikes can provoke Russia to a symmetrical response, up to strikes at the locations of such missiles and their carriers - and they can be located outside Ukraine. For example, in Poland, whose government has consistently advocated escalation. Ultimately, all this may end in the third world war.

In addition, if, as announced, North Korean troops come under attack, which from the point of view of international law are legally on Russian territory, this could escalate the situation on the Korean Peninsula, give North Korea a reason to begin to form a real military threat to neighboring regions.

South Korea has also already said that it is considering its participation in the conflict - namely, the option to send its observers and even military forces to Ukraine.

MLRS MGM-140 and ATACMS missile. Photo: https://img.gazeta.ru/files3/539/17678539/upload-shutterstock_2177001755-pic_32ratio_900x600-900x600-29724.jpg

It is curious that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stood out against this background. Immediately, as it became known about the decision of the United States, he said that the position of the FRG on the prohibition of long-range strikes deep into the Russian Federation would not change. He also reiterated that his country would not supply Ukrainians with Taurus missiles.

And last week he himself called Vladimir Putin - for the first time in two years. Peace and de-escalation issues were discussed. But Scholz himself is a lame duck. The "traffic light" coalition in the parliament and government of the Federal Republic of Germany actually collapsed, and the ratings of Scholz himself fluctuate around 20%. Obviously, after the elections, Germany will have a new chancellor. I.e. focusing on Scholz's position doesn't make much sense.

In any case, if we talk specifically about the confrontation between the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, permission to strike with long-range missiles is unable to radically change the situation in favor of Kyiv. But it carries serious risks of further aggravation of the conflict between Russia and NATO.