Ukraine attacks Russia for the first time with long-range missiles secretly supplied by the US
In recent weeks, the United States has been secretly sending long-range missiles to Ukraine for battlefield use against Russian forces, and has used them on at least two occasions, according to a US official cited by Reuters.
The US official said the missiles were part of a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine that US President Joe Biden approved on March 12.
The missiles were first used in the early hours of 17 April, launched against a Russian airfield in Crimea about 165 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The issue of deploying the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), with a range of up to 300 km, has been a topic of debate within the Biden administration for months. The mid-range ATACMS was delivered last September.
change of mind
The Pentagon initially opposed the deployment of long-range missiles, fearing that the loss of missiles from the US arsenal would affect US military preparedness. There were also concerns that Ukraine would use them to attack targets inside Russia.
The US official said Russia’s use of long-range ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea against Ukraine in December and January, despite public and private warnings from the United States, caused a change of heart.
The official said Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure was also a factor in the US decision. “We warn Russia about those things,” he said. “He renewed his objectives.”
In late January, the US military found a way to address its concerns about military preparedness, allowing the administration to proceed. They began acquiring new missiles from the Lockheed-Martin production line.
Biden met with his national security team in mid-February and agreed to accept his advisers’ unanimous recommendation to send missiles to Ukraine. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CQ Marone participated in the discussion.
The challenge at that time was to figure out how to pay for the missiles. The United States had exhausted all of its funding options, and congressional gridlock prevented further aid.
An opportunity arose in March, when bids were put out for several Pentagon contracts. Biden was able to use this difference to send $300 million in aid to Ukraine.
Biden asked his team to include long-range ATACMS in this funding package, but to do so secretly to maintain operational security and the element of surprise for Ukraine, the official said.
Russia said this Wednesday that the new weapons “will not fundamentally change” the outcome of the war. In recent months, Kiev has stepped up its calls for Western help as its war reserves deplete and Russia continues to advance.