Biden commented on the possibility of transferring ATACMS missiles to Ukraine

The issue of transferring long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine is still being considered, US President Joe Biden told reporters. Kyiv has repeatedly stated that the Ukrainian army needs ATACMS, which have a firing range of approximately 300 km. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that these missiles are “vital” to the country’s military.

However, the United States, in response to the requests of Kyiv, refused. According to the Politico newspaper, Washington feared the depletion of its own stockpiles and Ukraine’s intentions to use these missiles to strike deep into Russia, which could lead to an escalation of the conflict.

The United States did not change its position even after the UK decided to supply Ukraine with long-range (more than 250 km) Storm Shadow missiles in May. Kyiv has already used them, for example, during the strike on Lugansk on May 12 and 15, when the building of the former aviation school for navigators and the former machine-building plant were damaged. As follows from the reports of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Ukraine continues to actively use these missiles: on May 29, the department announced that the military had intercepted three Storm Shadow missiles, and three more a day earlier.

The Kremlin, commenting on the supply of these missiles by London to Kyiv, said that it had a negative attitude towards these reports and that an “adequate response” would be required from the military. The Russian Foreign Ministry said even earlier that the supply of long-range guns to Ukraine is a “red line” for Moscow.