Ukraine will receive new long-range weapons from the United States, but they will not be used to attack targets on Russian territory. Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov vows to attack only Russian units in occupied Ukrainian territory.
The US government confirmed on Friday that Ukraine will receive longer-range missiles. The Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) can hit targets up to 150 kilometers away, nearly twice the range of previously delivered Himars missiles.
Russian cities are within range of the new weapons. The Americans were therefore hesitant to supply them. Reznikov now promises that the weapons will not be used to attack Russian territory. According to the minister, this promise is always made to foreign partners who supply weapons.
New offensive expected on February 24
The guns come at a good time. Reznikov said last week he expected a new Russian offensive around February 24. That is exactly the date Ukraine was invaded last year. According to him, the Russian armed forces have mobilized half a million soldiers for this purpose.
But Moscow’s troops are not ready for battle from a military point of view, according to the minister. He added that Kyiv also has reserve troops on hand to hold back any offensive.
Reznikov acknowledged on Sunday that not all the promised military equipment will arrive before the end of February. Ukrainians are currently being trained in the use of German Leopard tanks and British Challenger tanks, among others.
The defense minister has been urging Western allies to also supply fighter jets for some time, but Washington and Berlin, among others, have rejected this. According to Reznikov, Western restraint will “cost more lives”.
