In a clandestine operation that has only recently come to light, the United States has provided Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles. This delivery enhances Ukraine’s capability to strike targets nearly double the distance away from those within reach of the previously supplied mid-range weapons.
Ukraine’s utilization of these advanced ballistic missiles was unveiled last week when they bombarded a Russian military airfield in Crimea and attacked Russian forces in another occupied area overnight. American officials, speaking under the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the strikes in Crimea and east of the occupied city of Berdyansk utilized the ATACMS system.
President Joe Biden approved the provision of these extended-range missiles in early March, and a “significant” number were included in a $300 million military aid package announced at that time. Despite the magnitude of the aid, the precise quantity of missiles delivered remains undisclosed by the officials.
The decision to furnish Ukraine with ATACMS — the long-range Army Tactical Missile System is a shift in the U.S. approach. For several months, Washington had hesitated, concerned that Ukraine might employ the missiles to penetrate deep into Russian territory, potentially intensifying the conflict.
The strategic calculus evolved when Russia procured long-range ballistic missiles from North Korea and began employing them on the battlefield in Ukraine. This development, in tandem with Russia’s escalated attacks on Ukrainian forces and civilian infrastructure, prompted the Biden administration to fulfill their previous warning to Moscow: that should Russia use similar long-range capabilities, the U.S. would equip Ukraine with comparable firepower.
The advanced missiles have extended Ukraine’s strike capability up to 300 kilometers (approximately 190 miles), nearly twice the reach provided by mid-range variants sent last October. The delivery was kept under wraps to the extent that even lawmakers were unaware that the weapons had already reached Ukrainian hands.
In his public gratitude toward Congress for passing a new aid bill, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alluded to the significance of these long-range capabilities.
Relevant articles:
– The US secretly sent long-range ATACMS to Ukraine — and Kyiv used them, politico.com, 04/25/2024
– US secretly sent long-range missiles to Ukraine after months of resistance, CNN, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 17:43:00 GMT
– Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by US to hit Russian-held areas, officials say, The Associated Press, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 18:37:00 GMT
– Ukraine uses long-range ATACMS against Russia for the first time, NBC News, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 16:50:19 GMT