NATO Gives Ukraine the Go-Ahead to Cross Putin's Red Line

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Feb 22, 2024 at 7:04 PM EST | Updated Feb 23, 2024 at 4:20 AM EST


NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine has a right to use its Western-supplied weapons to defend itself against Russia, even if that includes striking targets within Russia's borders.

"This is Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, which is a blatant violation of international law," Stoltenberg told Radio Liberty during an interview on Tuesday. "And according to international law, Ukraine has the right to self-defense. And it also includes strikes against legitimate military targets, Russian military targets outside of Ukraine. That's international law, and of course, Ukraine has the right to do that to defend itself."

A NATO official confirmed with Financial Times on Thursday that Stoltenberg meant that Kyiv's right to self-defense included striking Russian military targets outside of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned against Ukraine using its Western-supplied equipment to launch attacks on Russian territory, saying that doing so could risk escalating the conflict. The warnings had originally made allies like the United States hold off on supplying Kyiv with long-range weapons capable of reaching Russia, but NATO allies have since given Ukraine such arms.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/nato-gives-ukraine-go-ahead-cross-putins-red-line-1872629

[Irish_Dem]

1. Thank God. Stop tying Ukraine's hands.

Let them fight this war to win.

[2naSalit]

2. About time...

Long overdue.

[KS Toronado]

3. Give them the long range weapons to reach Russia's military industrial complex

[Kennah]

6. Take out the Kerch Bridge, take out Putin

[ancianita]

4. Send Ukraine those F16's.

The F-16 was built under an unusual agreement creating a consortium between the United States and four NATO countries: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104505/f-16-fighting-falcon/#:~:text=All%20active%20units%20and%20many,Denmark%2C%20the%20Netherlands%20and%20Norway.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. They are still in training for them

They have some from Europe already.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143189774
https://democraticunderground.com/10143191511
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143192390

(they can't just hop in one and fly off )

[FailureToCommunicate]

7. Um, might that not drag the US into posible response pretty quickly?

Including nuclear?

This may not be something to cheer about.

Seems rash on Stoltenberg's part.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Some Russian military equipment, including drones used Ukraine

have been found to have included U.S. parts in them.

There's a hearing scheduled for next week about this.

Senate panel to hold hearing on use of US chips in Russian weapons

By Kanishka Singh
February 22, 2024 12:56 AM EST Updated 2 days ago


WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate panel will hold a hearing on Tuesday on the use of U.S. chips in Russian weapons systems, Senator Richard Blumenthal said in a statement on Wednesday. The hearing by the Senate's permanent subcommittee on investigations will address how Russia is evading export controls intended to block it from using U.S. technology in the war in Ukraine, added the office of the Democratic lawmaker, who chairs the panel.

The panel has sought information and documents from four large U.S. semiconductor makers - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O), Analog Devices (ADI.O), Intel (INTC.O), and Texas Instruments (TXN.O) it added. Preliminary information obtained by the panel showed that since Russia invaded Ukraine almost two years ago, these four companies had "significantly increased" exports to countries identified as potentially being used by Russia to evade U.S. export controls, it said.

American-made semiconductors have been found in a range of equipment used by the Russian military, Blumenthal's office said, from drones and radios to missiles and armored vehicles. The United States and its allies have imposed sanctions on Moscow and export controls for those supporting Russia's military and defense industries.

Advanced Micro Devices said it shared the national security concerns of the Senate panel and had set up procedures for action when its products are found to have been diverted to Russia. Texas Instruments said it was co-operating with the panel and was opposed to the use of its chips in Russian military equipment, saying it stopped selling products into Russia in February 2022.

(snip)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/senate-panel-hold-hearing-us-microchips-use-russian-weapons-systems-2024-02-21/

[Igel]

9. Yup.

Turkey, Kazakhstan, other countries buy them and are the middlemen, charging a hefty markup.

[EndlessWire]

10. I get what you are saying

but the restriction was always unfair. What with the Russian "election" coming up, Navalny's murder, and a planned conscription of more Russian troops, the warning that restrictions are removed might actually cause a pause in Russian aggression. Remember, Russia will undoubtedly continue its insane efforts to take over other countries, and the easiest would be Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Those are NATO countries, which we are obligated to defend. We'd be in the suck, anyway.

If we were engaged in a war with Russia, we would not be restricting our targets at all. There is the notion that Russia could strike us without any consequences. But, Russia would risk total annihilation, too. They will take their chances based on intel they have received (think, Trump), how compromised our Congress is (think, GOP), and whether they have degraded NATO responses. Also, it depends on what other country is willing to sacrifice their own troops in Russia's quest to be in charge.

Russia is under the illusion that Ukraine is definitely going to lose. But, everyday Russia is losing men, equipment, and other assets like oil refineries. We will find a way around our own government's anti democracy stance, and Ukraine will be back in business. Yes, they have lost ground recently, but no, it is not permanent.

Pussyfooting around Putin will not work. It hasn't worked for two solid years, and Putin shouldn't be allowed to figure he can just continue. His gut punch is coming. Better that Ukraine does it than us. So, I think, give Ukraine everything they need to push Russia out of Ukrainian territory. Let them hit the oil refineries and missile factories.

And the Bridge. You know that bridge has got to go. Unless, a plan exists to travel over it to capture Russian territory. Then, Putin can negotiate to get back his former territory. What a loser Putin is, to risk that.