Russian President Vladimir Putin may choose to swallow his pride and “pretend nothing has happened” in response to the US allowing Ukraine to use its long range Army Tactical Missile System to strike targets inside Russia, according to Cold War historian Sergey Radchenko. Radchenko, from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, believes that any Russian response may be limited and that striking targets in the Kursk region is unlikely to change the outcome of the war.
Radchenko argues that if Ukraine were to use these missiles more broadly, it could potentially deter Russia’s strikes on its energy infrastructure by threatening retaliation against similar targets deep inside Russia. He emphasizes that the US must commit to staying in the game indefinitely, despite Donald Trump’s desire to quickly broker a deal between Ukraine and Russia.
While acknowledging that Putin is committed to the war in Ukraine, Radchenko suggests that the Russian president may opt for a safer approach by not escalating the conflict further. He points out that targeting western bases or infrastructure, as suggested by US intelligence, would be extremely risky for Russia, which has underperformed on the battlefields of Ukraine. Putin could decide to avoid further confrontation and play it safe by pretending that the situation has not occurred.
As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, the global community watches closely to see how Putin will respond to the US support for Ukrainian missile strikes. The situation remains fluid and uncertain, with potential repercussions for international relations and security.
Source
Photo credit news.sky.com
