Title: Ukrainian Army Uses U.S.-Supplied Missiles to Target Russian Airfields and Warships
In a strategic move to repel Russian assaults, the Ukrainian army has increasingly utilized U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to target Russian airfields and warships deep behind enemy lines. This practice has brought some success within Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, but Washington has prohibited extending these attacks into Russia itself, limiting Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian advances.
In the past week, Kyiv’s forces launched three attacks using Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), hitting an air-defense system and a missile ship in Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine’s east and south. These air assaults were confirmed by both sides and verified by independent groups analyzing battlefield footage.
Ukraine hopes that by disrupting Moscow’s military operations, these strikes will aid in relieving troops struggling to contain Russian advances on the ground. However, the United States and other Western allies have only permitted the use of Western weapons in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, not in Russia, to avoid escalating the conflict.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine expressed frustration with this policy, stating that it allows Moscow to launch attacks from inside Russia without consequences, limiting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself effectively.
Pressure is mounting on the Biden administration to reconsider this policy, with NATO’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, advocating for Ukraine’s ability to use these weapons against legitimate military targets on Russian territory.
The U.S. recently provided Ukraine with a $275 million military package, including ammunition for the HIMARS rocket launcher, which can fire ATACMS missiles. These missiles have enabled Ukraine to target logistics and command posts deep behind Russian lines, including airfields, ammunition depots, and troop concentrations.
Despite these successes, Ukrainian officials argue that their inability to target Russian forces within Russia itself gives Moscow a significant advantage. This was evident when Russian forces launched a new offensive in the Kharkiv region, where Ukraine was unable to target Russian troops and equipment near the border with Western weapons.
While the situation in Kharkiv has stabilized, with the Russian advance reportedly stalled, Moscow has made significant territorial gains in Ukraine. The ongoing conflict highlights the complex dynamics of the war and the strategic importance of long-range missiles in Ukraine’s defense strategy.
