Western Countries Allow Attacks on Russian Mainland with Missiles Provided to Ukraine

[Financial News]  Western countries have lifted the range restrictions on missiles provided to Ukraine, making it possible to attack the Russian mainland, which is expected to change the dynamics of the ongoing war.
On the 26th (local time), foreign media such as the Financial Times (FT) and AP News reported that Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor, announced that not only Germany but also the UK, France, and the US have abolished the range restrictions on the missiles provided, and Russia is protesting.
Chancellor Merz stated at a forum hosted by the German public broadcaster WDR that lifting the missile range restrictions means "Ukraine can attack military facilities within Russia, allowing it to defend itself."
This statement came amid Russia's recent concentrated attack on Ukraine with over 1,000 drones and missiles for three days.
Allowing strikes on Russian mainland contrasts with former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who opposed this, and Merz has also shown willingness to provide Taurus, Germany's advanced cruise missile with a maximum range of 500km.
The Taurus can attack further than the US's ATACMS, the UK's Shadows, and France's Scalp.
These weapons have been used by Ukrainian forces to attack Kursk and Bryansk in eastern Russia.
Ukraine has also developed long-range missiles, Neptune, in addition to drones that attack Russian territory.
Earlier this month, Chancellor Merz decided not to disclose the military aid to Ukraine to prevent Russia from gaining a strategic advantage.
The German government has sporadically provided military aid to Ukraine since the outbreak of the war in February 2022, being the second-largest provider after the US.
In November last year, the US Biden administration allowed Ukrainian forces to attack Russian mainland with ATACMS missiles provided by the US as North Korean forces began to participate in the war.
The Kremlin criticized Chancellor Merz's statement as a very dangerous decision, contrasting with efforts to resolve the issue politically.

jjyoon@fnnews.com Yoon Jae-jun Reporter