U.S. close to approving longest-range missiles for Ukraine

Khimary, which has been Ukraine's long-range staple so far. Photo: Mariusz Burch/Alamy Stock Photo

The United States is close to approving its longest-range missiles for Ukraine.

White House and Pentagon leaders are considering providing Kiev with an army tactical missile system [ATACMS] with a range of almost 200 meters. miles and can strike far behind the Russian front line.

Kyiv has long asked for missiles, but Joe Biden has refrained from fearing that Ukraine could strike targets inside Russia, escalating the war. Kyiv will use sophisticated weapons systems to strike at Russia's fragile supply chains.

Targets will include munitions depots, depots, and other infrastructure critical to supporting its invasion.

For months, European capitals have also been pressuring the White House to provide them. Ukrainian forces use multiple rocket launchers with a maximum range of about 50 miles, fired from American Himars missile launchers.

Tactical missiles The US Army Missile System has a range of 200 miles. Photo: https://www.alamy.com

In February, the United States pledged to deliver ground-launched small-diameter bombs (GLSDB) with a range of 93 miles. .

Last month, the UK announced it would send long-range Storm Shadow precision-guided missiles that can reach more than 180 miles, just like ATACMS.

Positive signs

A senior Ukrainian official told the Wall Street Journal that Kiev had received positive signals from the US about missiles. The White House and the Pentagon did not comment.

Biden is under increasing pressure to give the green light. Late last month, he said the idea «still stands.»

Last week, the Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution calling for their immediate dispatch and called them «has critical to Ukraine's success.»

Republican Senator James Risch said this week: «I think the likelihood [of sending them] is pretty high.»

Earlier this month, Ambassador Kiev in the United States indicated that the Biden administration has recently «changed its tone» to ATACMS.

Oksana Markarova said: «If before all the answers sounded like» just forget it «, now for the first time we have heard that this the issue is being discussed.