Ukraine war may erupt again as G7 backs Zelensky with hardware

New Delhi: With the G-7 countries committed to stand with Ukraine at Apulia, the Ukraine-Crimea front is all set to reignite with Russia threatening to long -range weapons to adversaries of the west.

According to authoritative officials, the Ukraine front will become heated in the coming days with France ready to put troops on ground, UK supplying 300 km range Storm Shadow missiles and US supplying and operating High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to target the Russian front in Crimea.

At the G-7 meeting in Apulia this week, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky managed to get the big western powers on his side with a US-led EU USD 50 billion aid package and USD 225 million in US Congress approved military hardware. The target is the Russian logistics base in Crimea, which may turn out to be the proverbial Achilles heel for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a good meeting with President Zelensky with the latter sharing insights of war in Ukraine and the Russian aggression. In his brief interaction with US President Joe Biden on the side-lines of the G-7 summit, India was assured of Washington's commitment to a deep relationship with New Delhi and the mutual challenge in rising China in the Indo-Pacific.

It was quite evident in the G-7 that the US led EU was standing behind Zelensky in the fight against Russia and was willing to help Ukraine to step up the offensive into Russian territory through stand-off long range cruise missiles and over the horizon weaponry. The UK-France developed Storm Shadow or SCALP missile is an air launched weapon with precision guidance to hit the target at 300 to 500 km range, while HIMARS is being used to suppress Russian anti-aircraft defences.

With Russian President Putin countering the western supplies to Ukraine by stating that he will supply weapons to nations and asymmetrical forces opposed to the US led coalition, the global situation is looking increasingly unstable as the Israeli war on Gaza is still on. Putin has also not ruled out use of nuclear weapons if Russian sovereignty comes under threat.