Ukrainian general: Ukraine needs missiles covering the entire territory of Russia
The former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant-General Ihor Romanenko, believes that Kyiv should follow the example of the United States, which withdrew from the Treaty on the Elimination of Medium and Short Range Missiles, and do the same by withdrawing from the Budapest Memorandum signed with Russia.
According to Romanenko, this agreement deprives Ukraine of, not only nuclear, but also missile weapons, which could serve as a deterrent.
“The only thing we have left is the Tochka-U with a range of 120 kilometers. And now we are paying the price,” the general said in an interview to the Ukrainian newspaper Glavred. “Ukraine needs missiles that would, at the very least, reach the Urals and cover the whole territory of the Russian Federation. Such missiles would be viewed as a deterrent.”
Additionally, Romanenko recalled that Russia placed Iskander missile systems with a range of up to 500 kilometers on the eastern border with Ukraine.
According to the Budapest Memorandum, signed on December 5, 1994, Ukraine forfeited the right to deploy nuclear weapons and long-range missiles on its territory in exchange for guarantees of its territorial integrity.