Anything that is beyond the current GMLRS, HIMARS, and Storm Shadow is in effect, safe haven," he added. "Because we, the US, have continued to refuse to provide ATACMS, we have, in effect, created a safe haven for the Russians inside Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers fire toward Russian position on the frontline in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on June 24, 2023.Īlthough these weapons have proven to be beneficial, Hodges said that they've also given Russian forces beyond the attack range a degree of comfort.
So, the way you neutralize the only advantage the Russians have is by destroying headquarters and logistics site," Hodges said. And it's a very centralized system of command and control. "The Russians have more mass, more bodies, and more artillery. The strength of systems like ATACMS, which can be fired from Ukraine's existing inventory of US-provided High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), is that they can bruise Russia's logistics capabilities. Mark Milley said at an event last week that although "these things are on the table," there have not been any decisions yet. Pat Ryder said he has nothing to announce and isn't "aware of any imminent decisions as it relates" to the weapon.Ĭhairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. When asked later about ATACMS during a briefing, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Photo by Serhii Mykhalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Imagesĭespite growing pressure from Congress and abroad, the Biden administration has yet to budge on ATACMS, although the Wall Street Journal reported last week that there appeared to be some movement toward providing the missiles. Ukrainian soldiers watch a rocket fire from a HIMARS launcher on in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. But officials in Kyiv have indicated that the military still needs long-range strike capabilities to inflict damage on Russian troops beyond what it's currently capable of. Ukrainian forces have been pressing forward with their grinding counteroffensive for several weeks now, advancing in several directions along a sprawling front line across eastern and southern Ukraine and making small territorial gains in the process. Gray Eagle drones, meanwhile, have an endurance time of around 25 hours and can operate at just shy of 30,000 feet, making them useful for longer missions.
The Biden administration has so far been reluctant to send long-range missiles and advanced drones to Ukraine, fearing that these assets could be used to hit targets within Russia's internationally recognized borders and spark a dangerous escalation from Moscow.īut weapons like the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and Gray Eagle drones would increase Kyiv's range of attack and boost its firepower, posing a threat to any Russian base or ammunition depot that's inside occupied Ukrainian territory, a retired US Army general said, as videos of a drone attack on a Russian ammunition depot circulated.īen Hodges, a former lieutenant general who headed US Army Europe, told Insider that ATACMS missiles - which boast an impressive range of 190 miles - and advanced Gray Eagle drones, "put every headquarters and logistics site at risk" by allowing Ukraine to hammer Russian positions behind its Moscow's extensive defensive lines. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
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