In recent weeks, the US has been secretly supplying Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles and last week Ukraine used them for the first time.
This was reported by “Reuters” and “Associated Press”. The two agencies cited US officials.
According to a Reuters source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the missiles were included in the $300 million military aid package for Ukraine approved on March 12. He did not specify exactly how many missiles were sent.
The rockets were first used in the early hours of April 17.
They were fired at an airport in Jankoy in annexed Crimea, which is located about 165 km from the Ukrainian front line.
The AP source claims that the strikes were also directed against Russian troops in the occupied territory.
AP sources said a “significant” number of ATACMS were delivered in March, with more missiles to be provided as part of a new military aid package announced by the Pentagon on Wednesday.
NBC: Biden Considers Sending Long-Range ATACMS to Ukraine to Strike Crimea
The Biden administration is leaning toward supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles
ATACMS medium-range missiles were first delivered to Ukraine in September last year, Reuters recalls.
Initially The US opposed the delivery of the missiles with a long range with a radius of action of up to 300 km, fearing that Kiev will use them for attacks on Russian territory.
At the end of last year, the US began supplying Ukraine Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS, but have so far provided only older models of those systems that only have medium range.
The US is now inclined to send the longer-range version of the missilesources tell NBC, which would allow the Ukraine to strike deeper in the Russian-controlled Crimean Peninsula.
