"Burns beautifully"

Western weapons fired into Russia for the first time

The restrictions on the use of Western weapons have been eased, is this a game changer in war?

(Bild: AP)

After the long struggle to obtain approval for the use of Western weapons on Russian territory, things have now happened quite quickly. According to the Ukrainian armed forces, an explosive missile system has already been hit. "It burns wonderfully", the attacked country is pleased about the military success.

It is said to be a Russian S-300 missile system, which is said to have repeatedly fired at the city of Kharkiv from Russia.

Picture shows alleged hit
"It burns beautifully. It's a Russian S-300, on Russian territory. The first days after permission to use Western weapons on enemy territory", Ukrainian government minister Iryna Vereshchuk posted on Facebook along with a picture allegedly showing the hit - the post has since been deleted.

This picture allegedly shows the Russian S-300 missile system on Russian territory.

(Bild: Iryna Wereschtschuk/facebook.com)

It is still unclear exactly which weapon is responsible for the alleged destruction of the missile system - it is also not yet known which country it came from. However, several Ukrainian military bloggers assume that it could be a US-made HIMARS system.

Russians lose security they thought they had
For months, Ukraine had literally begged Washington to allow it to attack targets on Russian soil - the main reason being the massive attacks on Kharkiv. Until now, the Russians had the certainty that they could attack from a virtually safe distance. They also used their own territory to withdraw, regroup and station their weapons depots there.

Now, however, the circumstances have changed dramatically. Under strong conditions, the Western states have gradually relaxed their veto against such a deployment of Ukrainians. These may only take place in the Kharkiv area - and only with so-called GMLRS systems (Multiple Launch Rocket System), i.e. precision-guided surface-to-surface missiles with a range of 70 to 150 kilometers.

Western release "not a game changer per se"
Military analysts, however, are dampening expectations regarding the release of Western weapons. The Austrian Franz-Stefan Gady, Associate Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told the US broadcaster CNN that the cross-border attacks by the GMLRS would enable Ukraine to "hit some Russian staging areas, command and control centers and supply depots. This will not stop Russian military operations against Kharkiv, but it will make them more difficult".

Mathieu Boulegue, advisor at Chatham House in the UK, does not see the change in policy as "a game changer per se". Rather, it is "an add-on, a steroid, an additional booster for Ukraine to defend itself", he told CNN.

Putin's warning to "densely populated countries"
The reaction of President Vladimir Putin himself shows that the Kremlin does not like the release at all. He immediately rattled the nuclear sabre once again to deter Ukraine from attacking and the West from supplying weapons.

Just before US President Joe Biden gave the green light, he said that the decision could have "serious consequences", particularly for "small and densely populated countries".