Only with Taurus won't the war be won: why it's unwise to have inflated expectations regarding long-range missiles.

Rapid deliveries of weapons to Ukraine from Western partners and the lifting of restrictions on the use of long-range weapons will help contain the Russian Federation, halt the advancement of its military, and enhance the capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the battlefield. According to the words of Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, the Taurus cruise missiles could "significantly impact" the situation at the front.

"I must emphasize this as well, because the decision to provide Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles is one of those elements that can substantially influence the battlefield situation," Sibiga stated.

He highlighted that, when combined with other systems, these missiles could become a factor that "fundamentally changes the situation on the battlefield."

Taurus — the weapon Ukraine needs

"If we were to receive these Taurus missiles, they would significantly assist us in striking primarily Russian bases or defense enterprises that produce weapons, as well as other important targets. This would indeed have a cascading effect on reducing the Russian Federation's ability to both fight and produce weapons," noted Serhiy Zhuravko.

He emphasized that the answer to whether a particular weapon changes the situation at the front depends on how it is integrated with other reconnaissance means, particularly concerning target selection on enemy territory.

"In other words, there is no such separate weapon that can change anything; there is no silver bullet. We need to have many different bullets," said Oleg Katkov.

According to him, Ukraine needs Taurus missiles, aircraft, tanks, self-propelled artillery, shells for them, and artillery of various calibers. Moreover, there must be a large quantity of these resources.

Taurus Missiles: What Makes Them Special

Zhuravko stated that Taurus missiles are long-range weapons, the production of which Germany has resumed.

"We do not know what the volumes will be, as the timelines and conditions for resuming Taurus missile production are being reviewed. In any case, the missiles have a range of 500 kilometers and a warhead weight of over 400 kilograms," explained Zhuravko.

He pointed out that this is good weaponry that we need. In particular, it can be used to strike targets located deep within Russian territory.

However, according to Katkov, the Taurus cruise missiles are similar to Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles. Thus, there is no fundamental difference between these weapons.

Recall that at the end of October, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced a project to create a modernized version of the Taurus cruise missile — Taurus Neo. According to analysts, the main task in the new project is to enhance the Taurus KEPD 350 missile, focusing on range, accuracy, and lethality.

In December, Germany showcased a new development — the HX-2 kamikaze drone, which has already been dubbed "miniTaurus." This UAV is analogous to the American Switchblade or the Russian "Lancet."