Ukraine will be able to use ATACMS to attack Russian troops in Crimea - NYT
Ukraine’s Armed Forces will be able to use the long-range ATACMS missiles received from the United States to more effectively strike Russian forces in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Censor.NET reports that unnamed Pentagon officials told The New York Times about this.
As noted, the purpose of the ATACMS delivery will be to "put more pressure" on Crimea, the centre of Russian air and ground forces, "where Russia currently has a relatively safe haven".
"After several months of requests, Ukraine received a longer-range version of the ATACMS missiles, which can cover a distance of 190 miles - about 305 km," the publication reminds.
US national security officials have said that much of the long-delayed arms delivery should first focus on strengthening Ukraine's defence.
The new weapons can penetrate deeper into the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine and target supply hubs for Russian troops in the southeast.
ATACMS missiles for Ukraine
After months of requests, Ukraine has received a longer-range version of the Army's tactical missile system, known as ATACMS, which can travel 190 miles. Prior to this month's delivery, the US supplied Ukraine with a version of the system that has a range of 100 miles and is armed with long-range cluster munitions.
Pentagon officials refused to specify the exact number of long-range systems that were sent to Ukraine. The Biden administration secretly sent the longer-range ATACMS to avoid alerting the Russians. They were part of a $300 million shipment announced in March, the first new aid package for the country.
