- Written by Kathryn Armstrong
- BBC news
Ukraine has begun using long-range ballistic missiles secretly provided by the United States against invading Russian forces, US officials have confirmed.
The weapons are part of a $300m (£240m) aid package approved by US President Joe Biden in March and arrived this month.
According to US media reports, they have already been used at least once to attack Russian targets in occupied Crimea.
The United States previously supplied Ukraine with an intermediate-range version of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), but has been reluctant to supply a more powerful version, in part due to concerns about compromising U.S. military readiness.
But Biden is said to have secretly given the go-ahead in February to deploy a long-range system that can fire missiles at distances of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles).
“We can confirm that the United States has provided long-range ATACMS to Ukraine at the direct direction of the President,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement.
The United States “did not initially announce this at Ukraine’s request and in order to maintain Ukraine’s operational security,” it added.
It is not clear how many weapons have already been sent, but US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US government plans to send more.
“They will make a difference. But as I have said before on this podium… there is no silver bullet,” he said.
The long-range missile was used for the first time last week to attack a Russian airfield in occupied Crimea, Reuters reported, citing unnamed US officials.
And, according to the New York Times, the new missile was also used in an attack on Russian forces in the occupied port city of Berdyansk on Tuesday night.
Kiev has stepped up its appeal for Western aid in recent months as ammunition stocks are depleted and Russia steadily reaps profits.
The new aid package comes after months of deadlock as some in Congress opposed the aid.
“This will make America safer and the world will be safer,” Biden said after signing the bill.
In response to the package, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said: “We will do everything to make up for the six months we spent on discussions and doubts.”
“What the Russian occupiers have been able to do during this time, what President Putin is planning now, we must stand against him.”
Zelenskiy recently warned that a Russian attack is expected in the coming weeks after Ukraine lost the city of Avdiivka over the winter.
Ukraine’s military has suffered from shortages of ammunition and air defense systems in recent months, and officials blame delays in military aid from the United States and other Western allies for the loss of life and territory.
“It’s certainly possible that Russia will make further tactical advances in the coming weeks,” Sullivan said Wednesday.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, tens of thousands of people, mostly soldiers, have been killed or injured on both sides, and millions have been forced to flee their homes.
