U.S. quietly shipped long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine; something that, early in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict, the U.S. said it wouldn’t do.
The US in recent weeks shipped long-range missiles to Ukraine. President Biden told his team to include the long-range ATACMS in this funding package, but to do so secretly in order to maintain operational security and the element of surprise for Ukraine, the official said.
The missiles were contained in a $300 million military aid package approved on March 12, a US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The White House later issued a comment, saying ‘commitments’ were received from Kiev to not use the long-range missiles outside of Ukraine’s border.
The US refused to send long-range ATACMS for more than two years as they said it would be a reckless escalation.
Now that the decision has been made to send them it is suddenly no longer an escalation, and anyone who claims otherwise is accused of spreading Russian propaganda.
– Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously said Ukraine could not strike Russian territory with US missiles as this was too great of an escalation. Blinken now says it is up to Ukraine if it wants to strike Russian territory with American missiles. It is no longer an escalation, and anyone who claims otherwise is also accused of spreading Russian propaganda.
