The USA has sent short-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine longer range for use within Ukrainian territory. “I can confirm that the United States has delivered long-range ATACMS to Ukraine at the direct direction of the President,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Wednesday. The rockets are It was part of an aid package from March and arrived in Ukraine “this month”.explained Patel.
The delivery is not initially announced, “to maintain Ukraine’s operational security at its request,” Patel said. The rockets are therefore not part of the aid package passed by the US Congress on Tuesday for Ukraine.
The USA delivered ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for the first time last year – but only with a range of 165 kilometers. The variant with the longest range can hit targets up to 300 kilometers away. The Pentagon confirmed that the missiles now delivered were the longer-range variant.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced that the United States would continue to supply long-range missiles to Ukraine. “They will make a difference,” Sullivan said. At the same time, he repeated his statement that there was no “silver bullet” in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The State Department’s confirmation came on the same day that US President Joe Biden signed a law which releases aid worth 61 billion dollars (around 57 billion euros) for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) reiterated his rejection of the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. His decision “will not change,” said Scholz at a press conference with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.