As Russia is gaining ground by the day, it has advanced over 44 square miles since the conquest of Adveevka, having taken Severnoye, Sjeverne, Lastochkyne, Stepove, Orlivka and Berdychi.
In this desperate state, outmanned, outgunned and outmaneuvered, Ukraine is more than ever trying to gain access to any new ‘Wunderwaffe’ (wonder weapon) that can – in their minds – turn the tide of the war around.
As of now, this means long-range missiles and F-16 planes.
In this juncture, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly refused to send Taurus missiles to help Kiev’s war effort.
In explaining why, he has further come under a wave harsh criticism after revealing that UK and French troops have been deployed in Ukraine to assist the latter with firing the long-range missiles they have supplied.
Kyiv Post reported:
“While explaining Berlin’s reluctance to provide Kyiv with its Taurus long-range missiles on Monday, Feb. 26, Scholz said it was due to the necessity for German boots to be on the ground to assist with target control, suggesting the British and French already have missile-savvy personnel in Ukraine.
‘What is being done in the way of target control and accompanying target control on the part of the British and the French can’t be done in Germany. Everyone who has dealt with this system knows that’, said Scholz.
‘In my view, it would be unjustifiable if we were to participate in targeting in the same way’, he added without further elaboration.”
All hell broke loose among the western allies.
Politico reported:
“An inference by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that British and French personnel are operating cruise missiles donated to Ukraine is ‘wrong, irresponsible and a slap in the face to allies’, the chair of the U.K. parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Alicia Kearns said Thursday.”
Sending the long range missiles and soldiers to operate them would — in Scholz’s view — make Germany an active participant in the conflict.
The Taurus missiles have a powerful warhead that can destroy reinforced targets or infrastructure such as bridges and reach deep behind enemy lines, something Kiev is desperately asking for.
“Last year, the U.K. government confirmed that it had sent long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, with France — which calls its version of the same missiles SCALP — following shortly afterward.
Responding to the comments, the U.K.’s ex-Defense Minister Ben Wallace, who sent the Storm Shadows, said Scholz was ‘the wrong man, in the wrong job at the wrong time’.”
Independent reported:
“German chancellor Olaf Scholz has been accused of a ‘flagrant abuse of intelligence’ for divulging details of British aid for Ukrainian forces.
[…] ‘This is a flagrant abuse of intelligence deliberately designed to distract from Germany’s reluctance to arm Ukraine with its own long-range missile system’, said Tobias Ellwood, the former [UK] chairman of the Commons defense committee.
He added that Mr Scholz’s argument will ‘no doubt be used by Russia to racket up the escalator ladder’.”
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This story originally appeared on TheGateWayPundit
