The United States sent long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine “this month”, even before the US Congress approved a new aid package for kyiv on Tuesday, the State Department announced on Wednesday (04/24/2024). This shipment was made “at the direct request of President” Joe Biden, explained the spokesperson, Vedant Patel, specifying that they would be used within the sovereign territory of Ukraine.
The State Department spokesperson added that the missiles, which were part of the aid package to kyiv announced on March 12, have “arrived in Ukraine this month.” The inclusion of the missiles in this March military package has not been announced before “to maintain the operational security of Ukraine at its request,” the spokesman stated.
Ukraine used US ATACMS missiles against invading Russian troops for the first time in October, but the recently sent ones have a longer range, up to 300 km. Ukraine began using the latter last week against a Russian military airfield in Crimea, US officials told the AP on condition of anonymity before the information was made public. These did not provide the exact number of missiles delivered last month or in the one announced today.
On Wednesday, Joe Biden announced a vast aid plan for Ukraine and promised a first shipment of weapons, worth $1 billion, “in the next few hours.” This package “will strengthen the security of the United States and the security of the world,” according to the president, and is already part of the military aid that received the support of the Senate on Tuesday, days after being approved by the House of Representatives, after a long stagnation due to differences between Republicans and Democrats.
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