US officials said US President Joe Biden’s administration sought to reduce the risks of an escalation of the war in this way.
Since June, Washington has supplied Ukraine with 20 HIMARS, as well as a large number of GMLRS missiles with satellite sights and a range of about 80 kilometers. These missiles have been used to target Russian ammunition, material depots and command centers on the territory of Ukraine.
US officials acknowledged that the Pentagon had modified HIMARS delivered to Ukraine so that they could not launch long-range missiles, including Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which have a range of nearly 300 kilometers. It shows how far the Biden administration has gone to balance its support for Ukrainian forces and the risk of escalation with Moscow, the WSJ wrote.
The United States has refrained from supplying Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles, and the modification of HIMARS ensures that Ukrainian forces cannot use these systems to launch long-range missiles if Kiev buys them from other countries, the WSJ noted.
The Pentagon declined to comment on its hardware and software changes.
“Due to operational security concerns, we do not publicly comment on the configuration of systems assigned to allies and partners. The United States remains committed to providing Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to resist Russian aggression,” the secretary said. Pentagon press, Brigadier General Patrick Ryder. .
The WSJ recalled that the United States previously refused to supply Ukraine with MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones because the Pentagon feared they would be used to strike targets in Russia. The Biden administration also dashed Kiev’s hopes for an imminent purchase of Western warplanes, although Washington offered the option of their delivery after the war ended.
Discussions in the United States about supplying long-range weapons to Ukraine have intensified due to continued Russian bombing of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
