MOSCOW, May 13. /TASS/. In a move to save money and not have to replace its newer missiles, France decided to send older SCALP missiles to Ukraine, program director of the Academy of Political Sciences Alexander Stepanov told TASS.
Earlier, French RFI radio reported that France had dispatched outdated SCALP cruise missiles to Ukraine.
"The missiles pledged by [French President Emmanuel] Macron were sent under the Chrysalide program, meaning cocoons. Therefore, these missiles were not in operational condition as they were stored for future disposal or as components for similar missile systems," Stepanov, who is also a senior researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ILA RAN), explained. "Firstly, with this maneuver, the French government allowed itself to save on missile deliveries by sending not fully combat-ready items to the Kiev regime," he added, citing certain risks associated with their incorrect use during combat launches.
However, these missile systems should not be underestimated as they are high-precision weapons that have an operational range of up to 560 kilometers, depending on specific modification, Stepanov said. "But, in principle, they are nothing new for our layered air defenses. This is a direct analogue of the Storm Shadow with which we deal on a daily basis and which we have learned to counter effectively," he added.
Still, the expert believes, the SCALP deliveries are an escalation. "And yet, the French have certain difficulty financing [military] support to the Kiev regime as they simultaneously solve the task of disposing of systems that would have been cut off in any case," he maintained. According to him, France may be "preparing a niche" for the latest weapons, including the missile component of tactical nukes. These may include the advanced ASMP-A missile or the ASN4G hypersonic nuclear cruise missile, he concluded.
Russian response
On May 6, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Southern Military District missile units would hold drills involving warplanes and warships soon. The exercise is meant to practice employing tactical nuclear weapons. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the maneuvers were Russia’s response to statements by Macron, who suggested sending NATO troops to Ukraine, and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who insisted that Ukraine has the right to hit targets on Russia soil using British weapons.