Ukraine has been on the offensive for the last few days in the war going on between Ukraine and Russia for about two and a half years. The Ukrainian army is rapidly entering Russian territories. After capturing the Kursk region and moving 1000 kilometers inside the area, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the purpose of Ukrainian troops entering Russia’s Kursk region is to create a ‘buffer zone’ there, so that Moscow can be prevented from attacking across the border. Zelensky has clearly stated for the first time the intention of this bold operation launched on August 6 in the Kursk region. Earlier he had said that the purpose of the operation is to save people in the border Sumy region from the continuous shelling from Russia.
Meanwhile, the US has given a blow to Ukraine by refusing to use Storm Shadow missiles inside Russian territory. Ukraine had been repeatedly appealing to the US for a long time to allow the use of long-range weapons like ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles, but the US has banned the use of these weapons.
Recently, a report has come out that Washington has also rejected Britain’s request in which London had lobbied the US to allow Kiev to use long-range weapons like ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles against Russia. Just a month ago, the British government had requested the US to lift the sanctions imposed on Ukraine on the use of these weapons.
According to The Times report, the purpose of the US ban on the use of long-range weapons is to prevent fierce attacks inside Russia. The report says that by doing this, the US has in a way helped Russia but has stopped Ukraine from advancing inside Russia. The Ukrainian army recently made a major incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast. During this operation, which began more than a week ago, the Ukrainian army has captured large parts of two districts within the Kursk region.
The report said that while on one hand the US is reviewing the Ukrainian intrusion in the Kursk region, on the other hand it is discussing the pros and cons with friendly countries about the impact of allowing the use of Storm Shadow missiles.
What is Storm Shadow missile?
The Storm Shadow missile is a long-range air-to-air missile. It can be launched from Ukrainian soil and can destroy Russia’s Bitar military installations. The range of this missile is about 560 kilometers (about 350 miles). It was developed mainly by Britain’s Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is a GPS-equipped missile that is effective in reaching and hitting the target even in bad weather.