The Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday that the US had delivered long-range missiles to Ukraine earlier this month, following President Joe Biden's approval. The transfer of the long-range ATACMS missiles was authorized by Biden in February for use within Ukrainian territory. These missiles were discreetly included in a $300 million aid package announced on March 12 and subsequently sent to Ukraine.
According to Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Garron Garn, the decision to not publicly announce the provision of these missiles was made to maintain operational security for Ukraine, as requested by their military. Questions regarding the use of these missiles were deferred to Ukraine's military officials.
Furthermore, it was revealed that more of these long-range missiles are expected to be part of a new military assistance package announced by the Pentagon on Wednesday. This announcement came after Biden signed into law an aid package totaling nearly $61 billion for Ukraine, following significant delays in Congress.
In a previous shipment last fall, the US had sent Ukraine the mid-range variant of the ATACMS missile system, capable of reaching approximately 100 miles. The newly delivered long-range version has an extended reach of up to 190 miles.
Ukrainian officials had been advocating for the provision of these long-range missiles to target deeper into Russian-held territories. Despite previous reluctance from American officials due to supply constraints and concerns about escalating tensions with Moscow, the recent delivery marks a significant shift in US policy towards supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities.
