Ukraine using covert US long-range missiles
The weapons are part of a $1 billion Ukraine aid package
What happened
Ukraine's military is already hitting Russian targets with powerful long-range ballistic missiles secretly provided by the U.S., officials said Wednesday.
Who said what
The U.S. began sending Ukraine longer-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles last month and "will send more now that we have additional authority and money," National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said. President Joe Biden decided "the time is right to provide these" weapons, Adm. Christopher Grady said to The Associated Press.
The commentary
Biden had "resisted" sending Kyiv long-range missiles over fears "Ukraine would use them to strike inside Crimea or Russia," prompting Kremlin escalation, NBC News said. But he changed his mind after Russia disregarded "multiple warnings" to not "use long-range weapons inside Ukraine and to stop attacking Ukrainian energy grids."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
"We got it done," Biden said before signing a long-delayed bill with $61 billion in aid for Ukraine. "Now we need to move fast, and we are." An immediate $1 billion package includes more ATACMS, "air defense capabilities, artillery rounds" and "other weapons to shore up" demoralized Ukrainian forces, the AP said.
-
San Francisco tackles affordability problems with free child careThe Explainer The free child care will be offered to thousands of families in the city
-
How realistic is the Democratic plan to retake the Senate this year?TODAY’S BIG QUESTION Schumer is growing bullish on his party’s odds in November — is it typical partisan optimism, or something more?
-
Taxes: It’s California vs. the billionairesFeature Larry Page and Peter Thiel may take their wealth elsewhere
-
White House halts migrant visas for 75 countriesSpeed Read Brazil, Egypt, Russia, Iran and Somalia are among the nations on the list
-
Trump, Senate GOP block Venezuela war powers voteSpeed Read Two Republicans senators flipped their vote back amid GOP pressure
-
White House ends TPS protections for SomalisSpeed Read The Trump administration has given these Somalis until March 17 to leave the US
-
Clintons defy House GOP on Epstein subpoenasSpeed Read The House has already received what ‘little information we have,’ the Clintons said
-
Prosecutors quit as DOJ pushes probe of Good widowSpeed Read At least six prosecutors have resigned in Minnesota
-
Judge clears wind farm construction to resumeSpeed Read The Trump administration had ordered the farm shuttered in December over national security issues
-
Kelly sues Hegseth, Pentagon over censureSpeed Read Hegseth’s censure was ‘unlawful and unconstitutional,’ Kelly said
-
Minnesota, Illinois sue to stop ICE ‘invasion’Speed Read Minnesota officials are also seeking a temporary restraining order
