Ukraine is gearing up to increase deep raids into Russian territory after receiving long-range weapons from the West. This was stated by Admiral Tony Radakin, the commander of the British armed forces, on April 25. According to Radakin, Ukraine has been facing a challenging period due to Russia’s attacks but there are more favorable long-term trends emerging for the country.
The US and Europe have recently provided military aid packages to Ukraine, and their long-range raid campaigns have been increasingly successful. The US resumed military aid to Ukraine after a six-month interruption during which time Ukrainian forces faced a shortage of ammunition and weapons while Russian forces made significant advances and continuously attacked with heavy artillery, missiles, and UAVs.
To regain initiative on the battlefield, Ukraine has been requesting high-tech long-range weapons from the West. They have also conducted raids on production and energy infrastructure deep within Russian territory, including oil refineries. In March, the US covertly transferred ATACMS missiles with a range of 300 km to Ukraine but President Joe Biden instructed that these not be used to attack Russia. Despite disagreements between Ukraine and the US regarding raids on Russian oil refineries, Admiral Radakin expressed confidence in Ukraine’s capabilities. He emphasized the impact of Ukraine’s long-range strike capability on the conflict.
The UK has pledged over $3.7 billion in aid to Ukraine and signed contracts with defense companies to provide more weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles and cruise missiles. While Russia may be able to launch long-range raids on Ukraine more effectively, Admiral Radakin remains optimistic about NATO members increasing support for Ukraine. He mentioned that every element of Ukraine’s military strategy will be kept hidden and there is no “miracle solution” but continuous aid to prevent failure.