Posted on 09/29/2025 4:14:00 PM PDT by marcusmaximus
President Donald Trump is flexing new leverage in the war in Ukraine — allowing the nation to use U.S. weapons to strike deep into Russia, weighing whether to provide Kyiv with Tomahawk cruise missiles and vowing Ukraine can take back all its land — while pressing China and India to slash purchases Russian oil.
Ukraine supporters are cheering the shift, noting that after months of frustration over the grinding conflict, Trump appears to be changing tactics. From a combative February meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to his declaration last week that Ukraine could reclaim all of its original territory, the president is signaling a harder line on Moscow.
On "Fox News Sunday," Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg revealed that Trump had authorized long-range Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. Vice President JD Vance added that the administration is weighing whether to send Tomahawk missiles, a capability the Biden White House had denied. The weapons would be funded by European partners.
"We're certainly looking at a number of requests from the Europeans," Vance said. "It's something the president's going to make the final determination on."
The U.S.-made Tomahawk has a range of about 1,500 miles, meaning Kyiv could theoretically target Moscow if Trump approves the transfer. Russia quickly issued warnings, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov questioning whether Ukrainians could operate such systems without American assistance.
"Who can launch these missiles, even if they end up on the territory of the Kyiv regime?" Peskov asked. "Can they be launched only by Ukrainians, or must it still be done by American personnel? Who provides the targeting? A very deep analysis is needed here."
He dismissed the weapons as strategically meaningless. "There is no panacea that can change the situation on the fronts. There are no magic weapons, whether Tomahawk or others, that can alter the dynamics,"
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
WIKI [FP-1 drone]
Conceived in mid-2022 by a team of former aerospace engineers and defence analysts, the FP-1 programme aimed to produce a low-cost, high-performance kamikaze UAV. Initial operational prototypes of the FP-1 drone flew in early 2024, demonstrating a loitering munition delivery system. Full-scale production commenced in October 2024 at covert facilities near Kyiv.
The FP-1 features a slender fuselage with a two-cylinder engine driving a propeller, a solid rocket booster for launching, and fixed straight wings. It carries a modular warhead weighing between 60 kg and 120 kg, selectable for fragmentation or shaped-charge effects. The airframe employs radar-absorbent materials to reduce detectability. Navigation relies on inertial systems augmented by satellite guidance, with electronic counter-countermeasure capabilities to resist jamming.
By mid-2025, Fire Point had scaled production from 30 to over 100 FP-1 units per day, reporting total manufacture of more than 5,000 drones. The UAV has been credited with striking ammunition depots, command posts, and air defence batteries at ranges exceeding 1,200 km. Analysts attribute Ukraine’s ability to disrupt rear-area logistics to the FP-1’s cost-effectiveness — estimated at US$55,000 per unit versus US$200,000 for comparable systems.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-1_(unmanned_aerial_vehicle)
“With a payload of explosives weighing 60 kilograms (132 pounds), it[the FP-1] is responsible for 60% of strikes deep inside Russian territory, including hits on oil refineries and weapons depots, according to Terekh. These strikes have helped to slow Russia’s advance along the 1,000 kilometer-long (620 mile-long) front line in eastern Ukraine, where army units have reported a sharp decline in artillery fire.”
“Because defense companies are high-value targets for Russia, many operate underground or hidden within civilian centers to evade detection. Although they are guarded by air defenses, the strategy has the disadvantage of putting civilians at risk. Many Ukrainians have died in imprecise Russian attacks that were likely targeting weapons facilities.”
“On the day AP reporters visited the Fire Point factory, there were dozens of drones awaiting delivery. They would all be gone within 72 hours, shipped to the battlefield in inconspicuous cargo trucks.”
“Why don’t you consider a scenario of Venezuela striking the US with new found advanced missiles instead?”
Great point - I suspect that the Zeepers would say that we deserved it, due to attacking their cargo vessels - NOT!
"Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg revealed that Trump had authorized long-range Ukrainian strikes inside Russia"
Incorrectly stated by Mr. Kellogg.
And, Tomahawks should not be issued.
And, Ukraine does not need assistance locating ground and naval targets, but help with locating aerial targets over Ukraine and NATO territories, is air defense and necessary - though NATO is ill-prepared.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.