According to two US officials, the United States clandestinely supplied Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles, granting Ukraine a significant new capability to strike Russian targets that were previously beyond their reach.
This confirmation came on Tuesday after images of the missile submunitions inside Ukraine started circulating on social media.
On Tuesday, US officials informed CNN that Ukraine had already employed ATACMS, some versions of which have a maximum range of approximately 186 miles, to target Russia's Berdyansk and Luhansk airfields in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian military tweeted on Tuesday that the attack had destroyed numerous Russian helicopters, an ammunition depot, and an air defense launcher, without specifying whether they had used ATACMS for this purpose.
The timing of when the US provided these missiles remains unclear.
However, in recent weeks, the US opted for a discreet delivery to catch the Russians off guard, especially following months of public deliberation over whether President Joe Biden would authorize the shipment of these weapons, as per an official source.
The US was concerned that the Russians might relocate equipment and weapons out of harm's way if they were aware of the missile's range.
In the past, the US has sent weapons secretly, such as the unannounced delivery of HARM anti-radiation missiles to Ukraine in August 2022.
Typically, the US publicly announces significant arms deliveries to Ukraine, including the deployment of Patriot air defense systems last year and cluster munitions this year. When questioned repeatedly about the status of the systems in recent weeks, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated that the US had "nothing to announce," which officials noted was a deliberate choice of words.
The Pentagon directed all inquiries regarding the ATACMS to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The discussions about sending these missile systems gained momentum last month, as previously reported by CNN. US officials had been hesitant to supply these long-range guided surface-to-surface missiles due to concerns about escalating the conflict, potentially leading to firings into Russian territory. However, over the past several months, these concerns diminished as Ukraine demonstrated that it did not employ other US-supplied weaponry to target Russian territory.
During a visit to Washington, DC, in September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his request for ATACMS during a meeting with Biden. Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, emphasized at that time that the request for long-range missiles was not a mere whim but a genuine necessity for enhancing the military's effectiveness on the battlefield, safeguarding the lives of their personnel, and advancing their progress.
While Zelensky was visiting, the US announced a new aid package for Ukraine that did not include ATACMS. However, when questioned earlier this month about providing these missiles, Biden assured reporters, "I have spoken with Zelensky, and everything he's asked for, we've worked out."
