The Pentagon named targets for which Ukraine can use ATACMS – NYT

The Pentagon explained why they gave Ukraine ATACMS/Collage 24 Channel (photo by Getty Images)

The US Department of Defense spoke about providing Ukraine with long-range ATACMS-type missiles. The purpose of providing these weapons was to increase pressure on Russian forces, where the Ukrainian Defense Forces could not previously reach.

Journalists from The New York Times noted, that ATACMS-type missiles could penetrate deeper into Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine and target Russian military supply hubs in the southeast.

For what purposes can Ukraine use ATACMS

The publication emphasized that after several months of requests, Ukraine received a longer-range version of the Army's tactical missile systems, known as ATACMS, which can travel about 305 kilometers. Before delivery this month, the United States supplied Ukraine with a version of the system that has a range of 160 kilometers and is armed with widely distributed cluster munitions.

U.S. national security officials said that Much of the long-delayed arms shipments would have to first focus on strengthening Ukraine's defenses. However, in the end they decided to transfer the weapons to destroy enemy targets.

The goal of the new long-range systems is to increase pressure on Crimea, the center of Russian air and ground forces, “where Russia now has a relatively safe haven,” a senior Pentagon official said.

< p>Pentagon representatives refused to name the exact number of long-range systems that were sent to Ukraine. However, it is known that the Biden administration secretly sent longer-range ATACMS and they were part of the 300 millionth delivery announced in March 2024.

According to a senior US official, Ukraine used longer-range missiles to strike Russian troops in the port city of Berdyansk.

In addition, social media in Ukraine reported large fires and explosions last week at a military airfield in Dzhankoy in Crimea, which two US officials said was a long-range ATACMS target. In an address that evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked General Alexander Syrsky, but did not elaborate on the details of the strike.

One of the things we were able to see is that when Ukraine receives supplies, they can be effective, said Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army.

Journalists also noted that in more than two years after Russia’s invasion and occupation of parts of Ukraine, Mr. Biden’s calculations have changed. After all, while Congress spent months considering the next aid package for Ukraine, its troops began to have problems with ammunition and equipment.