Putin is bluffing. Former US Ambassador to Russia told what Ukraine needs to win

From the first day of the war Focus never stopped working. Our team considers it its duty to inform the reader about what is happening, to collect and analyze facts, to resist enemy propaganda. Focus needs your support today, to continue your mission. Thank you for being with us.

Support
–

Western leaders remain wary of sending some heavy weapons to Ukraine because of Russian threats to escalate the conflict. However, they should not be afraid to do so, because Vladimir Putin’s threats are empty talk, he is bluffing and deliberately allowing American intelligence officers to discover such data. Meanwhile, Kyiv needs their help, and the collective West must not give in to Russian threats. Such an opinion expressed American diplomat and former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul in a column for The Washington Post.

What does Ukraine need to win the war

McFaul believes that the next phase of the war – the battle for the Donbass – will be very different from the previous one. The flat and desolate steppes in eastern Ukraine make it difficult for Ukrainian fighters to use the “hit and run” tactics that have served them so well so far. Now the armed forces of Ukraine need tanks and other armored vehicles. The Ukrainian army especially needs Soviet T-72s, which can be supplied by the former Warsaw Pact countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and others – Ed).

The Armed Forces of Ukraine also need long-range artillery with 152-mm and 155-mm shells, multiple launch rocket systems, S-300 air defense systems, anti-ship missiles to protect coastal cities and MiG-29 fighters. After 50 days of intense fighting, Ukraine also needs to replenish all kinds of equipment – from helmets to cartridges.

The threat of a nuclear strike

Michael McFaul believes that there is a possibility that Russia will use tactical nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory if Moscow loses the key battle for Donbass. Thus, Putin wants to force Zelensky to capitulate. However, the diplomat considers such a scenario unlikely, because a nuclear strike on Ukraine would alienate the remaining allies from Russia, including China. Moreover, the use of nuclear weapons would jeopardize support for the war among Russians at home.

“Most analysts believe that this second use of nuclear weapons in world history will force Kyiv to surrender. I’m not sure … After a nuclear attack, Ukrainians would rather double down than capitulate, and may even try to transfer the war to Russia,” McFaul said.

Recall that on April 14, Dmitry Medvedev threatened that Russia will deploy nuclear weapons in the Kaliningrad regionif Sweden and Finland join NATO. Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said that Russia had deployed nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad even before the full-scale war against Ukraine.

Earlier, on April 13, the media reported US announces military aid to Ukraine for $ 750 million. According to representatives of Congress, we are talking about heavy ground artillery systems, incl. howitzers.

–