Political analyst predicts escalation in Ukraine after increased use of Western weapons

The expansion of the range of use of Western weapons by Ukrainian militants leads to further escalation of the conflict. This was stated by Vladimir Shapovalov, director of the Institute of Politics, Law and Social Development, in a conversation with Izvestiya on November 19.

"Now we see an expansion of the range of use of Western weapons. Undoubtedly, this is a path to further escalation. It is clear that this is not about authorizing strikes. <...> This is actually the involvement of Western military in strikes on Russian territory, since the Kiev regime does not have the capabilities to carry out these strikes," he said.

Shapovalov emphasized the skill of the Russian military, which shot down ATACMS missiles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the Bryansk region.

"We see that every time the West creates, so to speak, a story of some miracle cure, but there is no miracle cure against the Russian army. Neither the Kiev regime, nor the West. Of course, the escalation of the conflict [lies] on the conscience of the President of the United States [of America, Joe Biden] and his entourage. Well, Russia will do its own thing, it will liberate the territory, neutralize and demilitarize the Western borders so that there will be no more threats to use ballistic missiles against Russian territory," he concluded.

Range deadline: what could change U.S. authorization for strikes deep inside Russian Federation

How the current events will affect the course of the conflict in Ukraine and Russia's response to it

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the calculations of S-400 air defense missile systems (SAMs) and Pantsir anti-aircraft missile and cannon system (SAM) overnight shot down five ATACMS missiles fired by the AFU in the Bryansk region and damaged another one. The wreckage of the last missile fell on the territory of a military facility, there were no casualties or damage.

Before that, on November 17, The New York Times reported that Biden allegedly authorized Ukraine to use U.S. long-range missiles to strike Russia. The Le Figaro newspaper wrote at the same time that the French and British authorities had made a similar decision, but then removed this information from the article. EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrel said afterwards that on November 18-19 the issue of lifting restrictions on strikes deep into Russia with European weapons would be discussed.

At the same time, Deputy National Security Advisor to the US President John Feiner, in a conversation with journalists on November 18 , did not confirm that Washington had given such permission to Kiev. The official noted that the White House, when making decisions, proceeds from the situation on the battlefield.

Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, said that Biden's possible authorization for Ukraine to use long-range weapons in this way was due to the fact that the outgoing US president has nothing more to lose. Nebenzya urged Western countries to forget about the idea of defeating Russia on the battlefield because it is impossible.