For the first time, Ukrainian forces have used long-range ballistic missiles supplied by the United States in a fight against Russia, a commitment Biden made months ago. These missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), can attack Russian military targets at long distances and enhance Ukraine's ** capabilities. The information was revealed by two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been made public. Wall Street was the first to report the news.
Ukraine on Tuesday (17/10/2023) fired ** ATACMS missiles into Russian-occupied eastern and southern Ukraine, causing significant damage. Ukrainian officials confirmed that they already had and used the missiles, but did not disclose the exact number and when. Ukraine claims that in the attack on the cities of Berdyansk and Luhansk, they destroyed nine Russian *** and other military installations.
The missiles were secretly delivered to Ukraine in recent days before being deployed to the front line, allowing Ukraine to strike Russian targets farther away while maintaining a safe distance. These missiles have a longer range than any other** that the United States has offered to Ukraine, but still below the maximum range of the missiles to avoid triggering a Russian response. These missiles also use cluster munitions, rather than a single warhead, which can attack multiple targets at the same time, but also raise concerns among human rights groups because of the potential for civilians.
Biden has been weighing the pros and cons before supplying Ukraine with these missiles, fearing that it could escalate tensions with Russia. Ukraine**Zelensky and other Ukrainian** have been urging the United States to provide these missiles to help them defend against Russian aggression. When Biden met with Zelensky at the White House last month, he told him that the United States would provide Ukraine with "ATACMS", but did not publicly announce this decision and did not disclose any details. Allegedly, the United States has supplied Ukraine with only about two dozen missiles, in limited quantities.
The Ukrainian army hopes to use these missiles to accelerate before the onset of winter**, break through the Russian defenses and regain lost territory. These missiles are especially important for attacking the Berdyansk airfield, as this is Russia's main military base in eastern Ukraine and is within range of Ukrainian short-range missiles. Ukrainian forces are about 100 miles (160 km) away from Berdyansk.
This is the second time Biden has provided cluster munitions to Ukraine, after the United States has already sent thousands of cluster munitions to Ukraine to use against Russian tanks and armored vehicles. These ** are banned in many countries because they release hundreds of bullets over a large area, potentially killing or injuring innocent civilians. Sometimes, these bullets are also left untouched on the battlefield, posing a threat to the local population.