The Time for Restraint Is Over: Let Ukraine Strike Russia’s Heartland

 

The only reason this war drags on is because the West has failed to let Ukraine hit Russia where it hurts; it’s time to stop fearing Putin’s empty threats and let Kyiv finish the job.

The Kremlin’s latest threats against the West are like a bark without a bite. If Washington and its allies want to end this war, they need to let Ukraine off the leash and allow it to strike wherever it pleases inside Russia. Vladimir Putin’s blustering about dire consequences is nothing more than the rattling of an old, rusted empire that has seen better days. Moscow might be waving its fists, but make no mistake, its threats are about as hollow as the Kremlin’s promises of a quick “special military operation,” a term they conveniently ditched now that the conflict drags on into a full-fledged war. Whatever happened to that so-called "special operation"? It seems Putin’s narrative is as fragile as his imperial ambitions.

Ukraine’s request to use U.S. ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles to hit deep inside Russian territory has rattled the Kremlin, with Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s loyal mouthpiece, warning of “appropriate” responses. The West, especially the United States, has long hesitated to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons, fearing the escalation of the conflict. But here’s the reality: the war is already escalating, with Russia launching wave after wave of drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. What exactly are we waiting for?

President Biden’s recent comment, saying his administration was “working that out now” when asked about lifting restrictions on missile usage, signals that perhaps the U.S. is finally waking up to the fact that you can’t win a fight by holding back your punches. Letting Ukraine strike deep into Russia is not just a strategy to cripple Moscow’s military infrastructure; it’s a necessity. For Ukraine, hitting military bases and logistics hubs inside Russia is a way to weaken Putin’s war machine and bring the conflict to an end sooner. And if the West is serious about ending this war, it must let Ukraine fight the war on its own terms.

Kremlin insiders like Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the State Duma, may bluster about using “more powerful and destructive weapons” if Ukraine strikes inside Russia, but let’s not pretend that Moscow hasn’t already thrown its most destructive punches. From missile strikes on Kyiv’s residential areas to brutal bombings of Mariupol, Russia has unleashed terror on Ukrainian civilians without a second thought. The West’s reluctance to arm Ukraine with long-range weapons, fearing it might provoke Moscow, is like worrying about waking a bear that’s already tearing apart your camp. The damage is already done; it’s time to put the bear down.

Russia’s claims that long-range missile strikes would escalate the war ring hollow. This is the same regime that, from day one, has waged a campaign of terror and brutality across Ukraine. Putin's army has left cities like Bucha and Irpin in ruins, with bodies of civilians strewn across the streets in scenes reminiscent of the darkest days of European history. If Moscow is worried about escalation, perhaps it should consider who started this war in the first place.

History is replete with examples of declining empires that lash out in desperation, and Russia under Putin is no different. Moscow’s threats of nuclear retaliation or “more powerful weapons” are nothing new. These are the scare tactics of a fading empire clinging to its former glory. Russia, once a superpower, is now a shadow of its Soviet past. Its economy is crumbling under sanctions, and its military, once feared, is bogged down in a war it cannot win. Putin’s nuclear threats are nothing more than the roar of a lion that’s lost its teeth. The U.S. and its allies should treat these threats as what they are: desperate posturing from a regime on the brink of collapse.

Consider this: during the Cold War, the United States and its allies stood firm against Soviet aggression, arming nations like Afghanistan to fight back against Moscow’s advances. Today, the West must apply the same logic in Ukraine. Just as Washington armed the Afghan mujahideen with Stinger missiles to bring down Soviet helicopters, so too must it give Ukraine the tools it needs to bring the Russian war machine to its knees.

Of course, Kremlin cronies like Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, will claim that any new arms deliveries to Ukraine will be destroyed. But let’s not kid ourselves—Russia has failed to destroy the weapons already in Ukrainian hands. The HIMARS systems provided by the U.S. have wreaked havoc on Russian supply lines, and now Ukraine wants to do the same inside Russian territory. The difference? Long-range missiles like ATACMS can hit strategic targets deep inside Russia, cutting off the Kremlin’s ability to resupply its forces. Russia may talk a big game about destroying these missiles, but their track record says otherwise.

It’s also worth noting the irony in Russia’s complaints about the West’s involvement in this war. Moscow’s propaganda machine has been painting the U.S. and Europe as direct participants in the conflict for months. According to their logic, sending weapons to Ukraine makes the West a party to the war. But isn’t this the same Russia that has openly supplied weapons, troops, and even nuclear threats to proxy conflicts around the world? From Syria to Libya, Moscow has a long history of meddling in foreign wars. Yet when the tables are turned, they cry foul. Perhaps someone should remind Putin of the proverb: “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

So, if Washington and the West truly want this war to end, they must stop tiptoeing around Russia’s empty threats and let Ukraine strike wherever it wants. Ukraine is fighting for its survival, and to win, it needs to take the fight to Russia’s doorstep. Moscow’s warnings about escalation are little more than the rattling of a wounded snake, dangerous but ultimately powerless in the face of a united and determined Ukraine backed by Western firepower.

Let’s not forget that this is the same Putin who boasted that taking Kyiv would only take a few days, a promise that now seems laughable given the quagmire his forces are trapped in. If anything, the West’s hesitancy to allow Ukraine to strike inside Russia is prolonging the conflict and giving Moscow time to regroup. The sooner we let Ukraine hit Russian targets with long-range missiles, the sooner this war will end.

In the end, Putin and his cronies can call it whatever they want—war, special military operation, or a noble defense of Russia’s “sovereignty.” But the reality is, the longer the West waits, the more lives will be lost. And when history looks back on this moment, it won’t be kind to those who hesitated while a nation bled. Perhaps when all is said and done, we’ll see that Putin’s threats were about as real as the empire he’s trying to resurrect—nothing more than a delusion wrapped in empty promises.