The unnamed US official mentioned above said these missiles were part of a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine that US President Joe Biden approved on March 12, but did not specify how many missiles. has been sent.
These missiles were used for the first time on the morning of April 17, targeting a Russian airport in Crimea, about 165 km from the Ukrainian front line.
Ukraine used this weapon for the second time the same night against Russian forces in Southeast Ukraine.
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Photo: Reuters
According to the news agency Reuters, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that a “significant number” of missiles had been sent to Ukraine and said the US would send more. According to Mr. Sullivan, Ukraine has committed to using these weapons only inside Ukrainian territory, not in Russia.
Mr. Sullivan revealed that some missiles were part of a $1 billion weapons package for Ukraine that President Joe Biden approved on April 24.
Whether or not to send the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) with a range of up to 300 km to Ukraine has been discussed in the US for months. The mid-range ATACMS became available last September.
The Pentagon initially opposed the deployment of long-range missiles because of concerns that reducing the number of missiles in the stockpile would affect the US military’s combat readiness. There is also concern that Ukraine will use them to attack targets deep inside Russia.
US officials accused Russia of using long-range ballistic missiles provided by North Korea in December 2023 and January, causing Washington to change its mind. However, Russia has never confirmed receiving and using North Korean missiles.
Another reason why the US changed its mind, according to Reuters, is Russia’s targeting of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. President Biden met with his security team in mid-February and agreed to send long-range missiles to Ukraine.
The challenge at the time was to figure out how to pay for these rockets. The US has exhausted all funding while Congress has not passed an aid bill. The opportunity arose in March when several Pentagon contracts went up for bid. The White House was able to use the difference to send a $300 million aid package to Ukraine.
At that time, Mr. Biden requested that long-range ATACMS be included in this funding package but done so secretly to maintain security and ensure the element of surprise for Ukraine’s activities.
