A retired United States (US) colonel has stated that Russia now has the full right to target NATO-owned facilities.
Lawrence Wilkerson, a retired colonel who served as chief of staff to former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, made the statement following President Joe Biden’s decision to authorize Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles deep inside Russian territory.
He asserted that Ukraine’s use of long-range ATACMS missiles would not have been possible without US assistance.
For months, Ukraine had lobbied the Biden administration for permission to use the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to carry out deep strikes within Russian territory. The authorization followed the deployment of over 10,000 North Korean troops to Russia’s frontlines.
“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Foreign Minister Sergey] Lavrov have made it clear—and they are correct. US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel are needed to launch these missiles; therefore, NATO has entered the war. Consequently, Russia now has the full right under international law to strike NATO targets,” Wilkerson told TASS, as reported Thursday (11/21/2024).
Responding to media inquiries about Wilkerson’s remarks, the Pentagon stated: “The Department of Defense (DoD) does not comment on statements allegedly made by private citizens to Russian news outlets.”
Wilkerson served 31 years in the Army before transitioning to the State Department, where he became a special assistant to Powell as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993, later becoming Powell’s chief of staff.
Wilkerson’s statements echoed the Kremlin’s stance on the issue.
In October, President Vladimir Putin remarked that allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons would signify NATO’s direct involvement in the war. Russia also issued warnings regarding Ukraine’s use of ATACMS missiles, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stating, “This is clearly a signal that they aim to escalate tensions. We will treat this as a new qualitative phase in the West’s war against Russia and will respond accordingly.”
Biden’s authorization has faced backlash from allies of President-elect Donald Trump.
On X, US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia wrote: “In his final days, Joe Biden is recklessly trying to start World War III by allowing Ukraine to use US long-range missiles against Russia. The American people voted on November 5th against these reckless final decisions and do not want to fund or fight foreign wars. Enough is enough, this must stop.”
Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President-elect Trump, also criticized Biden’s decision, writing on X: “The Military-Industrial Complex seems determined to ensure they start World War III before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives. Gotta lock in those trillions. Damn the people’s lives! Idiots!”
Russia has also reacted to Biden’s authorization, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying: “It is clear that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps to further fan the flames and provoke further escalation of tensions.”
“If such a decision has indeed been formulated and announced to the Kyiv regime, it is undoubtedly a qualitatively new spiral of tension and a new situation in terms of US involvement in the conflict,” Peskov added.
The US-made ATACMS missile has a range of 190 miles and is launched from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a platform already in use by Ukraine.
Ukraine carried out its first strike using ATACMS within Russian territory on Tuesday, targeting an ammunition storage facility near the town of Karachev in Russia’s western Bryansk region.
Meanwhile, Putin recently lowered the threshold for nuclear strikes and signed a new nuclear doctrine into law, extending Russia’s nuclear deterrence capabilities to its allies.
The new doctrine replaces the previous decree and asserts that Russia’s primary goal is to conduct nuclear deterrence against potential adversaries, emphasizing that Moscow sees the use of nuclear weapons as an extreme measure. It also states that Russia is committed to taking all necessary steps to reduce nuclear threats and aims to prevent escalating tensions between nations that could lead to military conflicts, including nuclear confrontations.
