RITTER: 3 Possible Russian Responses to Ukrainian Strike on Crimean Beach With U.S. ATACMS

There’s a chance that the Biden administration hopes Russia overreacts

FILE: Ukrainian forces used U.S.-provided ATACMS and struck a beach in Crimea. Ritter says the strike could have been a trap set by the U.S. for Russia. (U.S. ARMY)

Scott Ritter, the former UN weapons inspector, laid out three possible responses from Russia after Ukraine used American weapons and — likely — U.S. intelligence, to strike a beach in Sevastopol, Crimea, killing 4 and injuring over 150.

Moscow promised to retaliate.

Ritter said the best option for Russia is not to respond at all and just keep winning the war in Ukraine while NATO falters. He said if Russia ever participated in an attack that killed Americans like the missile strike on Sunday, the U.S. would already be at war with Russia.

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“We, the United States, committed an act of war against Russia yesterday,” he said.

He said there’s a chance that the Biden administration wants Russia to overreact.

“What Russians need to be aware of is that this is a trap… a trap set by the United States,” he said.

He gave three escalatory moves that Moscow could take, which he noted would be similar to moves the U.S. would take.

1. CLOSE DOWN THE BLACK SEA AIRSPACE: He said Russia could decide to close the airspace over the Black Sea to all aircraft, “to get the American drones, get the intelligence aircraft, and say, ‘I’m sorry, this is now Russia. And if you want to fight us over this, we’ll be more than happy.”

He noted that the U.S./NATO closed down the Adriatic Sea during the war against Serbia in 1999.

He said Russia is thinking about doing the same thing, but he said such a move would be exactly what the White House wants so its diplomats can go into July’s NATO summit and blame Moscow for taking the action.

2. SHOOT DOWN A GLOBAL HAWK SYSTEM: Reports indicate that there was a Global Hawk drone circling over the Black Sea during the missile strike, and it is believed that the drone was providing intel to the Ukrainians before firing the ATACMS.

“That’s an act of war, but they would claim that it was an act of self-defense,” he said.

3. TARGETING GROUND STATIONS: Russia could decide to hit logistic nodes where ATACMS are brought into Ukraine.