Russia has launched a barrage of airstrikes against Ukraine for the second night in a row, with the one on Monday being its largest since the beginning of the full-scale war with over 230 missiles and drones. Ukrainian officials are now calling on their Western allies to lift restrictions on using long-range weapons to hit targets inside Russia. According to experts, targeting Russia’s missile launchers is crucial to prevent further airstrikes.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has noted that there are at least 250 military and paramilitary objects in Russia within the range of ATACMS missiles provided by the US to Ukraine. The ISW believes that Ukraine does not need to strike every single target to put pressure on the Russian military. However, the US has limited the range at which Ukraine can fire these missiles into Russia.
Fabian Rene Hoffmann, a research fellow, emphasizes the importance of taking down missile launchers to counter Russian attacks. He suggests that Ukraine may need to be allowed to target Russian assets deeper within Russian territory in order to effectively defend itself. However, there are concerns about potential Russian responses and escalation if Ukraine were to employ Western weapon systems against targets further inside Russia.
The question now is whether decision-makers are willing to take the risk of an escalation with Russia or allow Ukraine to defend itself more effectively by targeting Russian assets deeper within Russian territory. The situation in Ukraine remains tense as the conflict escalates.
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