"Not because of nuclear threats": Expert Denysenko explains why U.S. refuses to approve strikes deep in Russia

He shared this opinion on Espreso.

"Yes, some in the American establishment fear nuclear threats from Russia. But that’s not the primary reason for denying us permission to strike deep into Russian territory using their weapons. The main reason — and this was mentioned recently in Western media — is the threat of Russian sabotage if Ukraine gets such a green light. Russian intelligence could carry out sabotage operations in the US and EU, including things like setting fire to ammunition depots, attacking military infrastructure, and other acts of terrorism," Denysenko explained.

According to Denysenko, Putin's nuclear threats need to be understood within the context of the upcoming US presidential elections.

"Putin is a coward by nature, and he’s terrified of actually using nuclear weapons. Sure, he’s raising the stakes and making bold declarations about being ready to use them. But these claims about changing Russia’s nuclear doctrine? I don’t think they have much to do with Ukraine. They should be seen in light of the US elections. Donald Trump is running with the narrative that the world is on the brink of World War III. So in this case, Putin is essentially backing Trump by playing the nuclear war card," he added.

What’s known about allies’ stance on long-range strikes in Russia

On August 29, CNN reported that Andriy Yermak and Rustem Umerov would meet with US officials to try to convince the White House to lift the ban on long-range strikes inside Russian territory.

During high-level talks in Washington, Ukraine's Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, presented a list of potential targets in Russia that the Ukrainian Armed Forces could hit if they were given access to US long-range weapons.

On August 31, President Zelenskyy called on Western countries to allow Ukraine to launch long-range strikes on Russia.

By September 3, it was reported that the US was nearing an agreement to supply Ukraine with longer-range missiles capable of hitting deep into Russia, with an announcement expected this fall.

On September 6, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the US would not permit Ukraine to strike deep within Russia, arguing that such actions would not be a "game-changer."

By September 10, it became clear that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy were planning a joint visit to Ukraine.

Then, on September 19, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller revealed that the US was discussing with allies whether to permit Ukraine to use Western weapons for strikes on Russian soil.

Finally, on September 24, The Washington Post reported that the US had yet to hear "convincing arguments" from Ukrainian officials to justify strikes inside Russia with Western weapons.