Ukraine has used up its scarce supply of U.S.-donated American long-range ballistic missiles, according to a new report.
Why It Matters
The U.S., under the previous administration, send several rounds of Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles to Ukraine, which are launched from the ground at targets up to almost 200 miles away.
They are typically used to strike high-value targets far behind the front lines, and Kyiv has used ATACMS in dramatic strikes, such as on Russian helicopters and advanced air defense systems. But the U.S. only provided a limited number of the missiles to Ukraine.
While Kyiv has been heavily reliant on U.S. military aid, Ukraine has moved away from its dependence on Western weapons and pushed its domestic defense industry to produce a significant amount of its own missiles and munitions.
What to Know
Ukraine does not have any ATACMS left in its arsenal, a U.S. official and a Ukrainian politician sitting on the country’s defense committee, told the Associated Press.
The U.S. official reportedly said Washington had furnished Kyiv with fewer than 40 ATACMS, adding this supply was exhausted in late January. Newsweek reached out to the Ukrainian military for comment.
Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. in November gave approval for Ukraine to use ATACMS against internationally recognized Russian territory. This green light was long held back by the White House, fearing escalation with Russia, despite Ukrainian requests.
Then-president-elect Donald Trump called the decision “stupid,” and suggested he would reverse it after his inauguration on January 20. This coincides with when Ukraine reportedly ran out of ATACMS.
Ukraine is once again receiving U.S. military aid after Trump imposed a blockage on all American assistance heading for the war-torn country earlier this month. The confirmation came shortly after senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, finished up a day of talks with a high-level Ukrainian delegation in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Tuesday.
Weapons deliveries had restarted through a logistics hub in eastern Poland, Warsaw’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, said on Wednesday.
Shortly after pausing military aid, the White House stopped Ukraine receiving at least some U.S.-derived intelligence, which also resumed this week.
Analysts have suggested that Ukraine may have been “struggling” to operate U.S. systems, such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), which can fire missiles like ATACMS, in Russia’s Kursk region without U.S.-provided intelligence.
Who Said What
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in October 2023, when Kyiv used the missiles for the first time, that “ATACMS have proven themselves.”
What Happens Next
It isn’t clear whether Russia will agree to a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine has already signed up for, as U.S. teams head to Moscow for talks.
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