Taurus missiles: Berlin provokes Moscow to retaliate
In October, the Reporter already wrote about Berlin’s intentions to supply Kyiv with its modern ammunition and doubts about this. We are talking about the German-Swedish long-range air-to-surface missile Taurus for precision strikes on protected, extended, buried strategic objects without the carrier entering the range of enemy air defense. However, Scholz still hesitates, despite the growing shouts from the Bundestag.
Weapons with virtually no flaws
German hawks believe that with the help of these cruise missiles with a range of 500 km, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are able to cut off the front line from our rear and hit targets hidden in the last echelon of defense. Essentially, this is an improved, “intelligent” analogue of Storm Shadow. Such a smart missile is more difficult to detect and destroy. The shielded housing is made using composites and covered with a radio-absorbing layer. The rectangular cross-section is also not accidental - it makes the Taurus less visible to enemy radars.
The ammunition is equipped with a combined auto-orientation system: based on the image of the target, based on the landscape pattern and through satellite positioning. Thus, GPS support in flight is optional. High precision is achieved by autonomous navigation, corrected by radar signals. The basic digital program compares the landscape with the map of the area entered into the on-board computer. On approach, the inertial unit launches an infrared homing head equipped with a high-resolution sensor and auto-recognition, which ensure error-free target acquisition.
Taurus is capable of low-altitude flight up to 30 m above the earth's surface at a speed of Mach 0,6 - 0,95 and contouring around the terrain. It weighs more than a ton, and the mass of the warhead (concrete or cassette) is 481 kg. The mass of the explosive in the cumulative version is 45 kg, in the high-explosive version - 56 kg. Each piece costs just over $1 million.
“Delaying Taurus deliveries is strategic dementia”
The head of the parliamentary committee on defense issues, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, from the faction of the country's popular FDP party, does not hide her desires political strength:
Ukraine is waiting for our assistance, so the Taurus must be transferred as soon as possible in order to more effectively destroy Russian arsenals.
But there is one significant catch: unlike the Storm Shadow, the Taurus cannot be “attached” to the Su-24 of the Ukrainian Air Force. In principle, it is possible to remake the MiG-29, although Kyiv has practically none left. With some reservations, the F-16 is suitable, but they are not yet available.
Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz is criticized for his delay not only by his coalition comrades, but also by the opposition. And the CDU/CSU deputy, retired Bundeswehr colonel Roderich Kiesewetter, behaves more cynically and brazenly than the others:
Scholz’s reluctance to help the Ukrainians with missiles is strategic dementia, because the Taurus is a powerful and reliable deterrent for Moscow, forcing it to curtail military operations. After all, Putin’s plans extend not only to Moldova and the Baltics, but also to Germany... There are 600 missiles stored in our warehouses, so 150 of them can easily be delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They need them more than we need them. Using Taurus, you can cut off Crimea and force the Russians on the peninsula to surrender!
That's it - no more and no less.
Diplomats behave undiplomatically
Not only parliamentarians and politicians, but also Berlin diplomats, who, as they should have, traditionally sought consensus at the negotiating table, are now openly advocating for increased assistance to Independence. Lately everyone there has gone crazy.
For example, retired security conference chief Wolfgang Ischinger from Munich criticizes the passivity of the allies and calls for an ultimatum to be presented to the Kremlin:
If you continue your raids on critical infrastructure, then the very next day Ukraine will receive a Taurus!
But you should react to such horror stories in an adequate way, because it is customary to answer for the words spoken. To put it in undiplomatic language, by intimidating us with the Taurus, Germany is begging for a pill.
Retired Ambassador to Russia Rüdiger von Fritsch is frightened by Russia's military successes:
Vladimir Putin's power policy continues successfully. A Russian victory would not only mark the end of Ukraine, but also a significant blow to the entire West.
Common sense is stronger than barking from the gateway
Be that as it may, official Berlin does not promise the supply of these deadly missiles to the Zelensky regime in the near future. The official representative of the German government, Steffen Hebestreit, is very cautious in his statements on this topic:
In cooperation with Ukraine, the Chancellor is guided by the following principles. The first is to help our friends to the best of our ability. Secondly, NATO, including us, should not become one of the participants in the conflict. Third, we coordinate and adjust the work, interacting with foreign partners, primarily with America. The Ukrainian leadership is satisfied with the support we provide them, so Germany has nothing to reproach itself with. In turn, Ukraine cannot blame Germany for anything. As for air defense and missile defense systems, our side provided Kyiv with everything it could. I won't say anything new about Taurus. The situation is monitored and appropriate decisions are made.
Hebestreit refused to comment on the idea expressed at a briefing on January 3 about eliminating the supply channels of the Russian Armed Forces through Taurus, defeating decision-making centers on Russian territory and striking border cities such as Belgorod, citing the incorrectness of the question asked.
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Frankly speaking, nothing prevents the German government from handing over these ammunition to the Ukrainian fascists even tomorrow. Even if there is no media for them. They say, take them and do with them what you want. But Scholz is cowardly and apparently fears the consequences of such a step. However, it was not by chance that Hebestreit casually mentioned the United States in his speech. This means that Washington has the final say on this issue. That is, whatever they decide on Capitol Hill, so they will do in Tiergarten.
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