The German Parliament rejected the proposal to transfer to Ukraine Taurus cruise missiles, a type of long-range ammunition that Kiev has repeatedly requested to supply.
The proposal put forward by the opposition including the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) was rejected by the German parliament on January 17 with 1 votes against and 485 votes for. Only two parliamentarians not affiliated with the CDU/CSU coalition voted in favor of transferring Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chairwoman of the German parliamentary Defense Committee, said that the reason the proposal was rejected was because the CDU/CSU included the issue of the current state of the German army in the plan, causing some senators to Senators who supported the transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine voted against it. “They are trying to pull off a clumsy PR stunt,” she accused.
The final decision in this matter will belong to German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz, who previously refused to transfer Taurus missiles to Ukraine due to concerns that Kiev could use them to attack Russian territory, causing possible conflict. the risk of spreading. Ms. Strack-Zimmermann said new proposals for aid to Ukraine, including the transfer of Taurus missiles, will be delivered to Mr. Scholz as early as next month.
Eurofighter Typhoon fighter carrying Taurus cruise missiles. Image: Airbus Defense
Taurus KEPD 350 is an aircraft-launched cruise missile with a stealth design. Each projectile weighs 1,4 tons, has a range of 500 km and can fly at a height of 30-70 m at a speed of 1.100 km/h. The missile uses dual MEPHISTO warheads weighing 481 kg, capable of penetrating thick layers of soil or concrete before detonating inside enemy underground structures.
The main targets of KEPD 350 are fortified underground bunkers, command and communication posts, airports, ports, weapons depots, warships and infrastructure.
Experts say that the Taurus missile's long range will greatly help the combat operations of Ukrainian forces. Kiev has repeatedly asked Berlin to transfer Taurus missiles, but has not received a response, although Germany is currently the leading country in the European Union (EU) in terms of its commitment to aid Ukraine with weapons.
According to data from the aid monitoring agency for Ukraine at the Kiel Institute in Germany, as of October 10, Berlin has announced it will transfer to Kiev weapons worth more than 2023 billion USD, nearly 18 times higher than the country's. Second place is Denmark.
Pressure on the German government to provide long-range missiles to Ukraine increased after Britain and France last year approved aid to Kiev with Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missiles with a range of 250-560 km depending on the variant. .
This missile model has been used by the Ukrainian military many times to attack important Russian targets in the Crimean peninsula, most recently in an attack last December that destroyed Moscow's large landing ship Novocherkassk. .
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on January 16 that he would transfer 1 more Storm Shadow/SCALP EG missiles to Ukraine in the near future, which is expected to increase pressure on Germany.
Russian-Ukrainian war front. Graphics: RYV
Pham Giang (Follow Politico, RT)
