[ad_1]
Ukraine’s ability to shoot down Moscow’s hypersonic missiles, previously touted as “unstoppable”, may dent the confidence in Russia’s strategic weapons, both nuclear and not nuclear, an expert said. Kevin Ryan, who served as chief of staff for the US Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command, commented on reports Kyiv downed six of Vladimir Putin’s Kinzhal missiles, days after Washington’s military had confirmed another hypersonic missile had been destroyed using America’s Patriot defence system.
Mr Ryan, a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center in the US, told the MailOnline: “Russia’s conventional (non-nuclear) forces are already showing themselves not up to the task in Ukraine. That is why Putin has relied so heavily on nuclear threats.
“If it’s proven that the Kinzhal has not lived up to expectations, the effectiveness of the whole spectrum of Russia’s strategic weapons, nuclear and non-nuclear, are put in doubt.”
Worryingly, Mr Ryan added the blistering humiliation suffered by Putin and the fact he seemingly can’t force a victory with conventional weapons may push him to “turn to nuclear weapons”.
He said: “Putin is running out of ways to escalate the war in a way that would force Ukraine – and the West – to back down.
“His massive invasion and frequent bombing campaigns have failed to give him a decisive victory.”
Another expert, John Kennedy, said Ukraine’s effective air defence and the inability by Russia to effectively sweep across the country its troops attacked more than one year ago may have a major impact on Russian’s morale.
The research leader of defence and security at research institute RAND Europe said: “Putin himself has publicly showcased the outcome of these programs, including the Kinzhal hypersonic cruise missile, on state TV.
“He wanted to create the impression that Russia had a military edge over Nato. But the Kinzhal has evidently not given Putin the unstoppable capability he promised.
READ MORE: Ukraine chief admits Kyiv has assassinated several of Putin’s propagandists
“If Russian soldiers do not already doubt the wisdom of their commanders, the interception of a weapon that Putin himself flaunted will probably do the trick.”
On the other hand, the destruction of the hypersonic missiles will be a “huge boost to Ukrainian morale”, Mr Kennedy said.
Senior US officials estimated in February the number of Russia’s losses being approximately 200,000 – much higher than the casualty the USSR experienced during its decade-long conflict against Afghanistan in the 1980s.
Over the past 15 months of conflict, Moscow has also lost costly equipment, including thousands of military vehicles such as tanks and infantry transport vehicles.
We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.
For the latest news and breaking news visit: /news
Stay up to date with all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/DailyExpress and @daily_express
[ad_2]
Source link
(This article is generated through the syndicated feed sources, Financetin neither support nor own any part of this article)
