US Congress urged to send ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for strikes on Crimea

The United States should supply Ukraine with the long-range ATACMS operational-tactical ballistic missiles that Kyiv is asking for for strikes in Crimea. About it declared Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives, Texas Republican Michael McCall in an interview with ABC.

“Them [Украине] we also need ATACMS long-range artillery to strike at Crimea,” McCall said.

The politician also called for sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine. According to him, if Washington gives Kyiv “at least one” tank, then this will push Germany to supply Kyiv with Leopard 2. McCall noted that when Washington “gives what it needs” to Ukraine, then the Ukrainian army demonstrates success.

The presenter recalled that Moscow had repeatedly warned about “red lines” on the issue of strikes on Crimea. She added that the United States had previously believed that such actions could “provoke” Russian President Vladimir Putin. In response, McCall called Russia’s ownership of Crimea “an assumption.”

Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 after a referendum. According to its results, 96.77% of voters in the Republic of Crimea and 95.6% in Sevastopol were in favor of joining Russia. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that the issue of Crimea is “finally closed.”

At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities do not recognize the results of the referendum. In Kyiv, they have repeatedly talked about plans to “return” Crimea, including by military means. The US State Department, answering a question about support for possible Kyiv strikes on Crimea, noted that the Ukrainian military decides how to use Western weapons.

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov declaredthat such rhetoric “pushes the Kyiv regime to commit terrorist acts in Russia.” Head of the Crimean Parliament Vladimir Konstantinov warned about a retaliatory strike in the event of an attack by Kyiv on the Crimea.

The Kremlin warned the West against the possible supply of weapons to Kyiv for an attack on Russian territory, in particular, on the Crimea. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov declaredthat such actions can bring the conflict “to a new level.”