The United States has notified Ukraine that it does not possess sufficient numbers of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMs), which have a range of 190 miles, to provide assistance to Kyiv, as the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues to escalate with a new Russian offensive. The news comes as Ukraine seeks greater military support from the Biden government in its ongoing conflict.
According to Politico, the U.S. has informed Ukraine that it lacks the necessary number of long-range missiles to provide military aid. While Biden has provided other forms of military assistance to Ukraine, including weapons and training, the lack of long-range missiles could be a significant setback for Ukraine's efforts to defend itself against Russia's new offensives, Politico reported, adding that the U.S. military has to retain what inventory it has in case its own forces need them.
“With any package, we always consider our readiness and our own stocks while providing Ukraine what it needs on the battlefield,” said a senior DoD official. “There are other ways of providing Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to strike the targets.”
The situation in Ukraine has been tense for years, with Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and ongoing conflict in the Donbass region. The recent escalation of violence has only added to the already volatile situation, as Ukraine has sought support from the U.S. and NATO.
However, with the news that the US does not possess enough long-range missiles to provide assistance, Ukraine may attempt to purchase ATACMs from other countries that have them such as Poland, Romania, Greece, Turkey, South Korea, Qatar and Bahrain. The longer-range missiles can be used with the HIMARS rocket systems that Ukraine already possesses.
Politico noted further that Laura Cooper, the Pentagon’s top policy official for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia issues, said in a recent interview that “with every single capability that we provide, whether you’re talking, you know, HIMARS or you’re talking a particular kind of missile or ammunition, we’re always looking at the availability of our stocks, we’re looking at production considerations, and so that’s true of every capability, and we make decisions accordingly.”
Throughout the nearly one-year-old war, the U.S. has been providing military aid to Ukraine, but the high demand for weapons has led to concerns that the US military's weapon stocks are becoming depleted. The Biden administration has promised to provide various forms of support to Ukraine, including weapons, but the rapid pace at which they are being sent is causing concerns. As the conflict escalated and then lasted months, the US military sent weapons like anti-tank missiles, small arms, and other forms of military hardware. But, with such high demand, the US military's stock of weapons is now being depleted faster than it can be replenished. The same is true for some other NATO countries.
The Biden regime has also been criticized, mostly by Republicans, for sending too many weapons to Ukraine, as this could put a strain on the US military's ability to respond to other potential conflicts or threats. Some have also raised concerns about the impact of US military support on the conflict, particularly in regards to civilian casualties.
There have been calls for the Biden administration to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict, rather than relying solely on military intervention. However, the US government has stated that it will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend itself against Russian aggression.
In addition to draining our weapon stockpiles, Biden’s handlers are also draining our strategic oil reserves as well. That means not only will our troops be short of sophisticated weapons, but our war machine will lack the fuel to power itself.
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