Russia Moves Military Aircraft, Refuses to Become Easy Target for US ATACMS

KYIV – Russia has moved its military assets, including glide bomber aircraft, out of range of the ATACMS missile supply system. United States of America (US) operated in Ukraine.

Kyiv continues to seek permission to use American long-range missiles to strike targets deeper inside Russia.

Ukraine considers it necessary to fend off ongoing airstrikes against its population. However, the US remains firm in limiting the geographic area in which its weapons can operate.

“Ninety percent of the aircraft that Russia uses for glide bombs and long-range strikes—we’ve counted them—90 percent of them are outside of 300 km of the Ukrainian border,” White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby was quoted as saying. NewsweekFriday (6/9/2024).

Kirby’s comments confirm an August 27 report by Wall Street Journalwhich claims—citing an unnamed US official—that Russia has moved most of its military aircraft to bases beyond the range of the US-supplied MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).

The system, manufactured by Lockheed Martin and with a maximum range of 190 miles, was first delivered to Kyiv in March, and has since been used in attacks on Russian forces on the Ukrainian border.

However, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s continued pleas, the US has refused to give the green light for the use of ATACMS for further strikes deep inside Russia.

In July, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder told Voice of America that allowing it could have unintended consequences that could expand the boundaries of the conflict beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Adding to that justification, Kirby argued that, even if the US were to approve a long-range Ukrainian strike, the removal of Russian weapons from the border would render this largely pointless.