If Ukraine Gambles on Strikes Against Moscow, it Would Face Devastating Blow - Expert

If Ukraine builds a long-range weapons system able to reach Moscow, Russia’s high-precision strikes will wipe out its production lines, military expert and historian of the Air Defense Forces Yuri Knutov, told Sputnik.

Once Russia receives reliable information that such weapons have been created or are in the final stages, the corresponding workshops will be targeted with hypersonic and cruise missiles, he said. The expert was weighing in on a report in The Economist claiming that Ukraine was brainstorming on how to increase the range of its missile, called Trembita, so that it could reach Moscow. Currently, the missile has a speed of up to 400 km/h and a range of 200 km.

It could, provided it receives hefty Western technological support and funding, Knutov said. He noted that Ukraine has been developing modifications of the Grom-2 missile - a modern take on the Soviet-era Tochka-U ballistic missile system - for at least 15 years.

Furthermore, the US and Britain supplied Ukraine with the technology required to upgrade the Grom missile and ready it for serial production, the pundit noted.

Ukraine’s efforts to build domestic long-range weapons come as US President-elect Donald Trump has indicated that Kiev is unlikely to receive the same levels of aid under his administration.

Russia has always maintained that the West's pumping of Ukraine with weapons only serves to fan the flames of the conflict to dangerous new heights.