Strikes with Western weapons on Russian territory: what could be the Kremlin's response?

At present, predicting Russia’s response to the US permitting Ukrainians to strike its territory is exceedingly challenging. This action would signify a crossing of «red lines,» previously breached by Ukraine.

Ivan Stupak, a military expert at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future and former SBU officer, addressed this issue on Hromadske Radio.

«If you lament over the «red lines» for an extended period, they fade to pale pink… Consider Crimea, for instance… I cannot speculate on the outcome if US weaponry targets Russia, but let’s assess the current scenario. For weeks and months, Ukraine has been employing its drones to target significant Russian installations integral to the nuclear shield.

Every nation possesses a nuclear doctrine, typically comprised of two components: preemptive strikes and retaliation against aggression. Russia, uniquely, delineates five such points. Among them is retaliation for the destruction or attempted destruction of a segment of the Russian defense shield. What does this entail? Possibly a Tu-22 aircraft, if memory serves. This strategic bomber was downed by our military. Additionally, there are the sizable antennas targeted by Ukraine. These constitute the so-called nuclear shield of the Russian Federation. Simply put, Ukrainians have already traversed these «red lines» five times, and we are entrenched in this progression. A nuclear strike would likely escalate matters further, yet the Russians have refrained from such action thus far, lacking either the inclination or resolve», — remarked Ivan Stupak.

Previously, the expert highlighted that the discourse regarding Ukraine’s authorization to strike Russian territory with Western weaponry, particularly American arms, had gained momentum.

As reported, in early May, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron asserted that Ukraine retains the right to employ British armaments to target locations within the aggressor nation’s borders.