CDU man calls for new weapons: Ukraine should be able to attack Russia

It could lead to a further escalation of the Ukraine war: A CDU politician calls for the attacked country to be provided with long-range weapon systems.

While Volodomyr Zelenskyj is expected to make a lightning visit to Germany at the weekend, the long-awaited counter-offensive seems to have already begun in Ukraine. At least the Ukrainian troops pose major challenges to Russian soldiers in certain areas. The fighters in the south of the city of Bachmut are said to have recently managed to gain greater ground.

A spokesman for the Eastern Group of Ukrainian Armed Forces said its troops “liberated an area of ​​17.3 square kilometers in three days of counter-offensive”. Sounds are even coming from Moscow that make you sit up and take notice of the city’s battle of wear and tear that has been going on for months. Russian troops have apparently also withdrawn from an area north of Bakhmut after Ukraine launched a total of 26 attacks there. This was announced by the spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense Igor Konashenko.

In addition, the Ukraine also attacked the city of Luhansk on Saturday night, which is around 100 kilometers behind the front and thus behind the Russian lines. Apparently, longer-range weapons were used for this. Experts suspect it could be medium-range cruise missiles of the “Storm Shadow” type. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed to MPs in the House of Commons that his country will make these cruise missiles available to Ukraine.

Such weapons could decisively influence the course of the war. CDU politician Johann Wadephul, meanwhile, is calling for Ukraine to be given more long-range weapons, including those that Ukrainian forces could use to attack Russian territory. Consequently, cruise missiles that have a range of up to 300 kilometers. The “Storm Shadow” also fall into this category.

In February 2023, Great Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had already announced such aid. “We need to enable Ukraine to protect itself from Russian bombs and Iranian drones. And that’s why Britain will be the first country to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons systems.” This promise, which Sunak made at the Munich Security Conference, now seems to have been kept.

“Neither under international law nor politically is there any reason why Ukraine shouldn’t be allowed to attack targets in Russia,” the foreign policy expert told the Berlin daily Tagesspiegel. “Why should an attacked country be limited to defending itself only on its own territory?” Wadephul continued.

This demand is highly controversial both politically and in terms of military strategy. It could induce Russia’s authoritarian ruler Vladimir Putin and his generals to escalate the war further – and possibly lead to the use of tactical nuclear weapons. The United States has repeatedly and expressly warned Russia of such a thing and has threatened a corresponding response in the form of a widespread use of conventional weapons. The result would be an escalation spiral.

In order to prevent this, the German government has so far vehemently rejected the delivery of longer-range weapons to Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently reported that he had reached a “consensus” with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

As the “Spiegel” reports, in the run-up to the alleged Zelenskyy visit, the federal government had already agreed on a new arms package to support Ukraine. This includes, among other things, another 20 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, 30 Leopard 1 tanks, 15 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, 200 reconnaissance drones, four additional Iris-T anti-aircraft systems including ammunition, additional artillery ammunition and more than 200 armored combat and logistics vehicles.

This is the largest arms package that Germany has provided to Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. The focus of the weapons package is on further strengthening air defenses so that Ukrainian cities can protect themselves even better against Russian air attacks.