Pentagon Confirms Using Long-Range ATACMS By AFU

The missiles were used last night.

Last night Ukraine used long-range ATACMS missiles, which were delivered to it back in March as part of US aid. This was reported by Pentagon spokesman Charlie Dietz to the Voice of America agency.

The senior White House official told the publication that the decision to provide Ukraine with ATACMS ballistic missiles was made on the instructions of President Joe Biden. He stressed that these weapons were sent to Ukraine for use on its territory on Biden's decision and were included in the defence aid package announced back on March 12. For security reasons, this missile transfer was not made public ‘at Ukraine's request.’

The White House took this step after Russia used DPRK-supplied ballistic missiles against Ukraine, as well as after a series of attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

The US had previously said it could not provide Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles because of a possible threat to its own security. However, in January, the Pentagon obtained new ATACMS missiles, so the missiles were transferred to Ukraine from the old stockpile.

Several US publications had previously reported that the US stockpile of ATACMS missiles is probably limited. This explained why Washington sent Ukraine a small number of medium-range missiles equipped with cluster munitions last autumn.

Earlier Reuters reported that the said ATACMS missiles were used as early as March 17. According to an unnamed US official, the Ukrainian Defence Forces used them to strike Russian Armed Forces facilities in occupied Crimea.