Pentagon explains refusal to let Ukraine use long-range missiles

Spokesperson Sabrina Singh says 90% of Russian airfields are outside the range of the US-supplied ATACMS rockets

Ukraine would probably be unable to make good use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles even if Washington allowed it to conduct long-range strikes deep inside Russia, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh has said. She cited the supposed lack of appropriate military targets within the missiles’ range.

The US has so far authorized the use of its weapons only to defend against cross-border attacks but not for deep strikes into Russian territory. In recent weeks, Kiev has intensified efforts to secure permission for such attacks.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Singh, citing US intelligence, stated that “90% of Russian aircraft launching the glide bombs and firing missiles against Ukraine are at airfields that are 300km away from Ukrainian controlled territory.” According to the official, this means that those airbases are outside the range of ATACMS missiles.

“Even if Ukraine, you know, were to use ATACMS against the very small percentage… of the airfields that remain in range,” Moscow would likely move those military facilities further away from the Ukrainian border, according to Singh.

“So again, the impact would be very little and of very little strategic value,” while the challenges posed by Russian glide bombs would remain, Singh concluded.

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US officials, including Pentagon spokesman Major-General Patrick Ryder, have reiterated recently that Washington’s “policy has not changed” with respect to “deep strikes” on Russian territory.

However, Reuters, citing anonymous US officials, alleged on Tuesday that President Joe Biden’s administration was “close” to approving the shipment of long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine. The weapons in question – Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) – could be integrated into US-designed F-16 fighter jets, the first batch of which arrived in Ukraine early last month.
The rocket boasts a range of around 370km, and can be modified to fly more than 800km, allowing the long-range version to reach Moscow and Kaliningrad.

According to the media outlet, the Pentagon could announce the decision to ship JASSMs to Kiev this fall already, though the actual delivery could take “several months” due to certain technicalities.

Sources cited by Reuters noted, however, that discussions on the matter were still underway, and that a final decision had yet to be made.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any decision to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles would cross Moscow’s “red lines” and could potentially trigger a third world war.

Last month, the diplomat stated his view that the “West does not want to avoid escalation.”