Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by US to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Last edited Wed Apr 24, 2024, 04:48 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: AP
Updated 3:49 PM EDT, April 24, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Long sought by Ukrainian leaders, the new missiles give Ukraine nearly double the striking distance up to 300 kilometers (190 miles) that it had with the mid-range version of the weapon that it received from the U.S. last October.
Weve already sent some, we will send more now that we have additional authority and money, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. The additional ATACMS were included in a new military aid package signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
Biden approved delivery of the long-range Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, in February, and then in March the U.S. included a significant number of them in a $300 million aid package announced, officials said. U.S. officials would not provide the exact number of missiles given last month or in the latest aid package, which totals about $1 billion.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-long-range-missiles-4d2254639eb5a503d8b0a291ed0680e9
Article updated.
Original article -
WASHINGTON (AP) Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Long sought by Ukrainian leaders, the new missiles give Ukraine nearly double the striking distance up to 300 kilometers (190 miles) that it had with the mid-range version of the weapon that it received from the U.S. last October. One of the officials said the U.S. is providing more of these missiles in a new military aid package signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
Biden approved delivery of the long-range Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, in early March, and the U.S. included a significant number of them in a $300 million aid package announced at the time, one official said.
The two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the delivery before it became public, would not provide the exact number of missiles given last month or in the latest aid package, which totals about $1 billion.
erronis
(15,335 posts)Every time putin sees that he is losing yet more, yet again, he'll invoke his "nuclear option".
FredGarvin
(485 posts)Bombing Ukraine cities and destroying infrastructure.
Russia has North Korea and Iran as allies, supplying immense amounts of shells, missiles and drones
Ukraine could use allies like them
Torchlight
(3,361 posts)Russia could use more allies like North Korea, making money at the expense of a near and dear ally's bloodied army.
Maxheader
(4,374 posts)That big a missile..wonder what they'll use it for?
oldsoftie
(12,604 posts)Nobody needs to know what owe do behind the scenes when its for a GOOD reason
LudwigPastorius
(9,177 posts)...and that message is, "See what we are willing to do for a fellow democratic country? Now imagine what we will be willing to do if you attack a NATO member state."
Russia is advancing and bombing Ukraine at will.
Inaction by the US has led to a defenseless populace in Ukraine
electric_blue68
(14,943 posts)Trueblue1968
(17,240 posts)FredGarvin
(485 posts)Russia is gaining ground
Torchlight
(3,361 posts)Putin is inviting too much tragedy and suffering on Europe. I'd like to think the Russian citizens are ironically, the very bear slowly waking, and taking a closer look at Putin, Patrushev, and Bortnikov whose world's get smaller with every passing day.
FredGarvin
(485 posts)Russia continues to advance and now has air superiority.
Ukraine needs dozens of advanced AA systems like the Patriot PAC 2, not a handful.
Iran is feeding Russia hundreds of long range drones every month that have drained Ukraine's air defenses.
It's getting really ugly for Ukrainian cities and will only get worse.
erronis
(15,335 posts)I'll bet you were surprised when Ukraine actually resisted in the first weeks, months.
Interesting that Iran relied on Russian missile defenses to protect its perimeter and the Israelis easily penetrated said Russian defenses. That to me is a strong message about how good the russkis, iranians are.
Torchlight
(3,361 posts)This was supposed to be THE offensive to break the back of the Ukraine defensive line. It's failed. Horribly. Hell, Watch on the Rhine was a more successful operation. Ukraine has mastered forcing Russian troops to expend too much for too little gain.
Russia was unable to exploit complete air superiority in any way during the opening weeks of battle. The handful of AAM you see are indicative of the boatloads you don't. The west is feeding Ukraine the tools it requires
The ground they are taking by yards was originally meant to be occupied over two years ago.
And we won't even get in to Russia's own porous air defenses, penetrated daily like the first hole at a popular muni course.
On Edit: "It's hell for Russia and it's only going to get worse..."
EndlessWire
(6,569 posts)Ukraine has exceeded our expectations. Now that they will be resupplied, they will again.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,212 posts)Aussie105
(5,436 posts)And will Putin really consider nuclear suicide for his country a viable option to defeat in Ukraine?
Yeah, I don't know either.