Joe Biden’s White House is preparing to launch long-range tactical missiles into Ukraine if Congress approves a new funding package, U.S. media reported on Monday.
NBC News cited two unnamed officials as saying the administration is willing to send a variant of the missile, known as Atacms (Army Tactical Missile System), if the Senate approves a new $60 billion aid package currently stalled by Congress. ). Republican, became law.
The report came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was taking advantage of delays in aid to Ukraine.
Reuters reported that he made the remarks after inspecting the Kupyansk front line on Monday. The region was recaptured by Ukraine in 2022, but Russian forces have been active in the area in recent months.
Zelensky said: “The current situation in several areas on the front line is extremely difficult, and it is in these areas that the Russian army has concentrated its largest reserve forces.”
“They are taking advantage of delays in aid to Ukraine, which is a very sensitive issue. There is a shortage of artillery and frontline air defense and long-range weapons are needed.”
The United States approved the transfer of a short-range variant of the missile in October after Kiev pledged not to use the missiles to attack Russian-controlled territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said the weapons had “proven themselves”.
The newer Atak missiles the Biden administration hopes to send to Ukraine have a maximum range of nearly 200 miles (300 kilometers) and typically carry cluster bombs, allowing Ukrainian forces to strike on the Crimean peninsula.
The United States may ask NATO allies to provide missiles to Ukraine rather than expect the U.S. government to replenish depleted stockpiles, according to officials who spoke to NBC on condition of anonymity.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in recent days that the capture of Avdiivka by Russian troops demonstrated “the need to provide long-range weapons to destroy enemy formations.”
Ahead of a meeting in Munich between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, a U.S. State Department statement said diplomats were expected to discuss issues related to “munitions, air defense, [and] Remote capabilities”.
Kuleba later said he discussed the supply of long-range Atak missiles with his U.S. counterparts at a meeting on Saturday, calling the system “an important step” for Ukrainians who have been defending against Russia’s February 2022 invasion. symbol”.
“There is only one way to destroy Russian capabilities in Ukraine. It will bypass Russian radio-electronic warfare and interceptors and penetrate deep into occupied territory,” he said.
He added: “If you want to attack the rear, disrupt their logistics and supplies, destroy their ammunition depots, you can only use long-range missiles.”
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In October, Vladimir Putin called the delivery of tactical ballistic missiles to Kiev “another American mistake” after the system was used to hit helicopters at two airports in Russian-occupied territory.
The Russian president claimed that the delivery of missiles “will not do Ukraine any good either”.it will only prolong [their] pain. “
“A war is a war,” Putin said. “Of course, I have said that. [Atacms] pose a threat. it goes without saying. But most importantly, they were completely unable to revolutionize conditions along the line of contact. impossible. “
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed to NBC that there are currently no funds to send more military equipment to Ukraine.
“If there is no supplement [funding bill], we currently have no security assistance plans for Ukraine,” the spokesperson said. “At the same time, if the supplemental agreement is adopted, I will not speculate on the content of any future packages. If the situation changes and if we have new packages to announce, we will let you know.”
Canada said on Monday it would donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 multi-mission unmanned aerial systems to Ukraine, Defense Minister Bill Blair said.
“Today’s announcement ensures that Ukraine has the drones it needs to detect and identify targets critical to Ukraine’s ongoing fighting. Canada will stand with Ukraine,” Blair said.
