Today's D Brief: EU welcomes Ukraine's Zelenskyy; Russians advance in Luhansk; US debt politics on the Hill; Bye-bye, Iraq AUMF?; And a bit more.
Defense OneNov 27, 2022
The Facts
On Thursday, the Washington Post — citing unnamed Ukrainian officials — reported that the country uses coordinates provided or confirmed by the US and its allies for the majority of strikes using its advanced US-provided rocket systems.
A Ukrainian official added that its forces almost never launch the advanced rockets without coordinates from the US. An anonymous US official corroborated Washington’s alleged role, saying that the assistance helps to ensure accuracy and conserve ammunition. The official added that Ukraine doesn’t seek US approval for its strikes.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
It's clear that US involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war runs far deeper than it claims and that the Pentagon is engaged in a proxy war against Moscow. The US has had a say in Ukraine’s strikes, adding credibility to Russia’s concerns about the US and NATO being key contributors to the conflict.
Pro-establishment narrative
The US has — and always will — back Ukraine in its fight to stave off Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion. Washington — which has clear rules and controls regarding intelligence-sharing with Ukraine — has provided missiles to Ukraine and offers assistance when asked but, despite claims to the contrary, has stopped short of becoming directly involved. Ukraine has the final say on where it conducts its strikes, and US coordinates are merely used to enhance precision.
