US concerned about drone strike on Russia’s over-the-horizon radar as it could disrupt strategic stability – WP

30 MAY 2024

The US has been concerned about Ukraine’s strikes on Russian nuclear early-warning systems as it could “dangerously unsettle” Moscow at a time when the White House is considering lifting restrictions on the use of US-supplied weapons in cross-border attacks.

SourceThe Washington Post

Details: A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that “the United States is concerned about Ukraine’s recent strikes against Russian ballistic missile early-warning sites”.

Quote: “Washington has conveyed its concerns to Kyiv about two attempted attacks over the last week against radar stations that provide conventional air defence as well as warning of nuclear launches by the West. At least one strike in Armavir, in Russia’s southeastern Krasnodar region, appeared to have caused some damage.” 

“These sites have not been involved in supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine,” a US official said. “But they are sensitive locations because Russia could perceive that its strategic deterrent capabilities are being targeted, which could undermine Russia’s ability to maintain nuclear deterrence against the United States.”

More details: A Ukrainian official familiar with the matter stated that Russia had been using radar stations to monitor the activity of the Ukrainian military, including Kyiv’s use of aerial weaponry such as drones and missiles. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Defence Intelligence of Ukraine was responsible for the strikes.

A Ukrainian official told WP that the strikes aimed to weaken Russia’s ability to track Ukrainian military activity in Ukraine’s south. A drone targeting a radar station near Orsk in Russia’s Orenburg Oblast along the northern border of Kazakhstan flew over 1,100 miles, making it one of the deepest attempts to strike Russian territory. The Ukrainian official declined to inform WP whether the strike occurred on 26 May had caused any damage.

The Washington Post noted that the US officials expressed sympathy for Ukraine. The administration representatives are actively considering whether to lift restrictions on the use of US-supplied weapons to strike Russian territory. However, a US official pointed out that if the Russian early warning system is affected by Ukrainian attacks, even partially, it could harm strategic stability in US-Russia relations.

“Russia could think it has a diminished ability to detect early nuclear activity against it, which then could become an issue,” the official mentioned. “It should be obvious to everyone that there’s no intention whatsoever [by the United States] of using nuclear weapons against Russia. But there’s certainly concern about how Russia could perceive its deterrent capabilities being targeted and early-warning systems being attacked.”

The Washington Post emphasised that some analysts were reportedly puzzled by the choice of targets: while Krasnodar is close enough to Ukraine to track missiles and drones, the radar station near Orsk is focused on the Middle East and China.

Responding to questions about why they chose such a remote target for the attack, a Ukrainian government official stated that Russia “switched all of its capabilities for war against Ukraine”.

Background: A drone belonging to Defence Intelligence of Ukraine attacked the Voronezh M long-range target detection radar station located in the city of Orsk in Russia’s Orenburg Oblast on 26 May.

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https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/05/30/7458306

7 comments

  1. Quite frankly, I’m at a loss for words in the face of so much pure cowardice from this administration.
    Anyway, I wish the American people would be more careful who they vote for because a spineless and weak POTUS posses a great danger to our country. The political parties should also be very careful who they choose as their presidential candidates. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have done us any favors by having two old farts that are draft dodgers, lamebrained, and senile as their choices.

  2. A military target is a military target. Would the US prefer Ukraine to target supermarkets? This is a smart move by Ukraine. Mafia land will need to move resources now to protect these radar stations from drone attacks.

    • I’ve said this before, but worth repeating. The obscenity of the putler regime’s genocide is such that a warning should be issued; with the full cooperation of the so-called allies. It should say :

      “You are committing genocide in Ukraine. Thousands of our citizens; including children. You do this for your own sick gratification.
      If one more of our children is harmed, we will start hitting Russian civilian targets; something that we have refrained from doing, because unlike you, we are civilised.

      • Neither does his advisor, Sullivan. He never served a minute in a uniform either, but he was the genius who claimed the Biden admin had de-escalated the crisis in Gaza, 5 days before Hamas attacked.

        • Sullivan is a moron, no doubt, and I’d only let him shine my shoes but never advise me.

  3. “they are sensitive locations because Russia could perceive that its strategic deterrent capabilities are being targeted, which could undermine Russia’s ability to maintain nuclear deterrence against the United States.”

    In a normal world that is a good thing.
    Everything is so fucked up now.
    Looks like an example of Robin Horsfall’s assertion that “sleepers” have been activated in western powers by the putler murder gang.

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