Scott Ritter: deployment of US missiles in Germany is an ‘extraordinarily destabilizing development’, ‘Russia will respond’

The decision do deploy surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, cruise, and hypersonic-capable US missiles in Germany is an irresponsible escalation that, unless it's reversed, can only lead to very tragic conclusions, former US marine intelligence officer Scott Ritter told Sputnik.

“This is an extraordinarily destabilizing development, and Russia has said it will respond. The specifics of a Russian response aren't known, but Russia did stop development or stop deployment of an intermediate-capable system, the RS-26, back in 2017. And it's believed that Russia could bring this system back into operation and deploy it in short order,” he said.

The three systems in question are the SM-6 Typhoon missile, a variation of the Tomahawk Sea Launched Cruise missile, and the hypersonic-capable Dark Eagle missile system.

“One mistake, one miscalculation, one misjudgment could lead to a situation where these missiles are fired in anger, and this would lead to the potential of a general nuclear exchange between the United States and Russia,” Ritter pointed out.

The move to deploy such systems in Europe is one of the most dangerous decisions made by the US and NATO in “a season of dangerous decisions”, he noted.

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Russian missiles off Alaska? How Moscow can respond to US long-range weapons’ deployment in Europe

Moscow has an array of options at its disposal when it comes to responding to US plans to place offensive Tomahawk and hypersonic missiles in Germany, says Swedish Armed Forces veteran and political and military observer Mikael Valtersson.

“This move by the US and Germany will of course be met by a Russian response,” Valtersson told Sputnik, saying he believes Russia may start off by deploying “new dual-use missiles in the Kaliningrad region and maybe also in Belarus.”

This may be followed up by the placement of Russian strategic missiles in the recently reestablished Moscow and Leningrad military districts, according to the observer. “By doing this, Russia lessens the time NATO has to detect and respond to a Russian launch of medium-range missiles,” Valtersson said of this aspect of the potential tit-for-tat response.

“Other options would be to deploy new missiles in the Far East and make Alaska and maybe the western coast of the US a target for Russian [intermediate-range] missiles,” Valtersson said. Another possibility still includes “deploy[ing] medium-range missiles south of Europe...and near the US,” if an agreement could be reached with one or more countries in North Africa or the Caribbean.

One more “obvious” potential step for Moscow would be to “make Germany a much more important target for Russian missiles in the future,” the Swedish defense observer believes, pointing out that this was “a fact several German parties raised” when they stepped out in opposition to the scheduled US missile deployment.

Whatever Russia ends up doing, “a big risk” stemming from the American move, and the consequent Russian response, arises from reduced reaction time, which increases stress and tension and increases the risks of either side making a “hasty decision,” Valtersson warned.

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◻️ CrowdStrike outage provoked global IT issues and disruptions

◻️ But what is Russian Astra, the system immune to the malfunction?

◻️ Scott Ritter: deployment of US missiles in Germany is an ‘extraordinarily destabilizing development’, ‘Russia will respond’

◻️ What oppressed the public discussions in Germany on the US missles?

◻️ Houthis drone fleet makes Tel Aviv a safe place no more

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On Moscow River Day, celebrated on July 19, a Sputnik correspondent took a ride on a Moscow electric river tram.

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The IDF reportedly struck Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in the areas of Tayr Harfa and Blida. During the strike, secondary explosions were identified in the area, suggesting the presence of additional weaponry in the structure.

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The IDF reported that it struck Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in the area of Blida and Houla in southern Lebanon, adding that Hezbollah infrastructure was also struck in the area of Houla in southern Lebanon.

The IDF also reported about its artillery strike in the areas of Chebaa, Kfarkela, Ramyeh, Al-Dahira and Yarine in southern Lebanon.

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📹 Drone attack on the town of Ramot Naftali

Hebrew-speaking sources reported a drone attack on the town of Ramot Naftali in northern Israel.

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The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon published footage of an alleged attack on an Israeli Merkava tank at Hadab Yarin on the Lebanese-Palestinian border.

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Trump held phone call with Zelensky

The former US president posted on Truth Social that he had a phone conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump said if re-elected, he would end the conflict and “bring peace to the world.”

“Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity,” he added.

Earlier, Trump assured that if re-elected, he would end every international conflict in the world that the Biden administration has started, including the one in Ukraine.

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Eleven people were killed when a highway bridge collapsed in northwestern China, the country's Central Television reported.

The collapse was caused by heavy rains. Five cars have already been pulled from the river, but rescue efforts are still underway.

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US House Committee calls DHS' data on Trump’s assassination attempt ‘inadequate’

The US House Committee on Homeland Security issued a subpoena to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, demanding details on the Secret Service’s preparations for the rally that nearly took the life of former President Donald Trump.

Among the ordered documents are plans for security in Butler, Pennsylvania, and details of the agency’s immediate response after the shooting.

 “The Department of Homeland Security has failed to properly satisfy our requests for documents,” the House Committee Chairman Mark Green said in a release on Friday. “The piecemeal information it has provided over phone calls is woefully inadequate,” he added.

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Russia captures new Ukrainian long-range drone

Russian specialists have managed to capture and examine a new Ukrainian kamikaze drone equipped with a jet engine and capable of gaining speed when approaching air defense and electronic warfare zones.

Studying the trophy will help counter a new UAV, said Dmitry Kuzyakin, general director of the Center for Complex Unmanned Solutions.

"We have managed to study the Ukrainian kamikaze drone. This is the enemy's fundamentally new design - the UAV is equipped with a jet engine, making it more expensive at a reduced flight range. There are also advantages [that we will study to] get crucial data on countering the new threat," he said.

"The enemy should not think that we are unaware of his next steps. The analysis of each of these 'birds' tells us much more about him than any agent or captured drone operator," Kuzyakin pointed out.

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US Navy, Japan to receive nine Hawkeye Alert Aircraft – Pentagon

The US Navy has provided Northrop Grumman with almost $1.5 billion worth of contract extension, to build nine more E-2D Hawkeye maritime reconnaissance and early warning aircraft for the US and Japan, the Department of Defense announced in a press release.

The extended contract will purchase nine E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft - four for the US Navy and five for Japan, the Pentagon stated. The request is scheduled to be completed in March 2029.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly said that the increased militarization of Japan poses a threat to stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

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◻️ US House Committee calls DHS' data on Trump’s assassination attempt ‘inadequate’

◻️ Trump held phone call with Zelensky

◻️ Russia captures new Ukrainian long-range drone

◻️ Watch Israeli forces reportedly striking Hezbollah weapons storage facilities

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