Kremlin is trying to prevent the United States from providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles to preserve the security that russia enjoys in its rear. With the Tomahawk, Ukraine could significantly damage or destroy key russian military facilities.
The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has reported this.
It is noted that Ukrainian forces are capable of conducting long-range drone strikes on a significant part of the russian rear, but the payload of these drones is limited and not suitable for destroying specialized objects.
"Ukraine’s ability to launch missile strikes deep into Russia’s rear with larger payloads would allow Ukraine to significantly damage – if not destroy – key military assets in Russia, such as the Shahed drone factory in Yelabuga, Republic of Tatarstan, or the Engels-2 Air Base in Saratov Oblast from which Russia sorties strategic bombers that fire air-launch cruise missiles at Ukraine," the analysts say.
The ISW noted that russia has been able to significantly increase the production of Shaheds by expanding its factory in Yelabuga, which has allowed it to carry out increasingly large-scale and frequent drone strikes against Ukraine over long distances.
The ISW estimates that there are at least 1,945 russian military targets within range of the 2,500-kilometer Tomahawk variant, and at least 1,655 targets within range of the 1,600-kilometer variant.
"Ukraine likely can significantly degrade Russia’s frontline battlefield performance by targeting a vulnerable subset of rear support areas that sustain and support Russia’s frontline operations," the analysts summarized.
At the same time, Ukraine has begun mass production of a new domestically produced cruise missile FP-5 "Flamingo" with a range of 3000 km and a warhead weighing 1150 kg, but, the Institute emphasized, the system remains untested, and Ukraine will need time to expand its production.
Recall that The Economist magazine said that Ukraine has started using Flamingo cruise missiles to strike energy facilities in russia and oil refineries.
Meanwhile, russian dictator vladimir putin continues to try to keep the United States from sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, linking improved bilateral relations between the US and russia to concessions from the United States over the war in Ukraine.
"Putin made similar arguments when the United States was considering sending Ukraine ATACMS missiles, F-16 jets, and Abrams tanks. Putin appears to be trying different approaches – from threatening worsening bilateral relations to downplaying the missiles’ usefulness – to influence US decision-making," ISW added.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on September 26, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked US President Donald Trump to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles.
On September 28, US Vice President J.D. Vance said that the United States is considering the possibility of transferring Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, but the final decision rests with President Donald Trump.
Russian dictator vladimir putin has threatened that if the United States decides to supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, he will not hesitate to do so, russian-U.S. relations will be destroyed.
Reuters, citing a US official and three other sources, reported, that it is inexpedient to transfer Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, and it is unlikely that the administration of US President Donald Trump will make such a decision.
Who we are: About us, Contacts. How we write news and our principles: Editorial code. We did our best. If you found this valuable – please support us.
To request a correction, please send an email.