Moscow is now a target for Ukraine's Western missiles
The new German chancellor Friedrich Merz announced this week that all restrictions on the use of Western supplied weapons to Ukraine have now been lifted. This may be significant in the case of the German Taurus cruise missiles which are probably now bound for Ukraine in numbers.
Putin's lair in the Kremlin may soon be in range of some of these sophisticated weapons, which hitherto Russian air defences have struggled to stop. Published specifications on the Taurus suggest it may not have the range to reach Moscow, but it is much the same size and uses much the same technology as the American Tomahawk, which could definitely reach the Russian capital. Russian generals have already been assassinated near the Kremlin: it may become an even unhealthier location soon.
This apparent low-key briefing may well be one of the most significant revelations of this war. The ubiquitous Sergei Lavrov, Russian foreign minister, is already blaming European leaders for prolonging the war with this move: it clearly has the Kremlin rattled. Most of the airfields in western Russia, from which Putin's missile and drone attacks are launched against Ukrainian hospitals and schools, are now in range. If Russia must pull its air and logistic hubs back even deeper into Russia, its beleaguered Special Military Operation becomes even more difficult to sustain.
In fact if Moscow starts being hit regularly by full blown cruise missiles, rather than just the odd rogue drone, Putin and Lavrov know that Muscovites are very quickly going to turn on them. With holiday flights to the coastal resorts already disrupted by Ukrainian drone attacks and unavailability of Western-made aircraft spares, one can feel the mood music in Russia beginning to change. The usually highly patriotic Moscow press is already starting to blame the Kremlin for the economic catastrophe unfolding because of western sanctions. If Trump turns off Russian oil, the life blood of the country, anger might mean a coup.
But what is so depressing for true Americans and genuine friends of America is that the Trump administration sometimes seems bent on abandoning US global geopolitical and economic pre-eminence. Putin and his acolytes are fizzing with excitement at the idea that Trump might prove to be the 'American Gorbachev'. If Trump continues on his trajectory, Putin's fantasy might materialise. Though it does appear that Putin is beginning to get under even Trump's rhino skin, as he claims the Russian leader has gone 'completely crazy'.
Once again the Kremlin staffers claim to be hard at work on a new ceasefire proposal. These get more ridiculous and less workable each time they get their pens out. There is no just peace for Kyiv if it must give up all four oblasts illegally part-occupied by Russia, and has to de-couple from any association with Nato.
Let us all hope that this is not another false dawn. But there are grounds for hope. With Trump appearing to realise he is being treated as an idiot, and with Putin's military bases and even Moscow now in range of Ukraine's western missiles, Russia may have to face a ceasefire.
At long last, Western leaders are beginning to understand that the only way to negotiate with a tiger is from a position of strength – not when your head is in his mouth.
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