Pentagon Clears Tomahawk Missile Transfer to Ukraine, Decision Now With Trump
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has authorized the potential transfer of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, a move intended to bolster kyiv’s long-range strike capabilities as fighting intensifies, sources confirmed today. However, the final decision rests with former President Donald trump, currently the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
The authorization comes amid a surge in Russian attacks, with ukrainian officials reporting 132 clashes in the last day alone, including three missile attacks, 88 airstrikes employing 66 missiles and 168 guided aerial bombs, and nearly 5,000 bombing raids, alongside extensive drone usage. These attacks have targeted populated areas across eastern and southern Ukraine,including Velykyi Burluk,kostyantynivka,and Orikhiv. The potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles represents a meaningful escalation in Western military aid, offering Ukraine a weapon capable of striking deeper into Russian-controlled territory.
The move follows increasing calls from Ukrainian officials for long-range weaponry to counter Russian advances and disrupt supply lines.Ukraine has also documented the use of Russian 9M729 cruise missiles – known to NATO as SSC-8 - in 23 attacks since August, a weapon that prompted the United States to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019 due to concerns over its range exceeding the treaty’s limits. The 9M729 has a reported range of 2,500 km and can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.
While the Pentagon has cleared the transfer, the ultimate authority lies with the President, and current deliberations are awaiting a decision from Trump. The former president has previously expressed skepticism about the level of aid being sent to Ukraine, raising questions about whether he will approve the Tomahawk transfer should he win the November election. ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has confirmed the use of the 9M729 in combat, underscoring the evolving battlefield dynamics and kyiv’s need for advanced weaponry.
