US to Send Ukraine Precision-Guided Missiles With Range of Over 60 Kilometers – WSJ

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Biden administration intends to provide Ukraine with precision-guided missiles that could hit targets from a distance of over 60 km as part of efforts to boost Ukrainian military amid Russia’s special operation, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing US officials.

The guided multiple launch rocket systems under consideration can fire twice the distance of the M777 howitzers that the United States has already delivered to Ukraine, the report said.

At the moment, it is not yet known how many of these systems will be sent to Ukraine, but according to one official, cited in the report, if approved, the first deliveries would begin within weeks. Training Ukrainians on how to operate these systems would last at least 10 days.

The Pentagon repeatedly said that the Ukrainian side has on many occasions asked the United States to send them multiple rocket launchers, especially after the epicenter of the battles moved to Donbass.

Systems, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, would allow Ukrainian forces to strike Russian positions throughout Donbass and can be fired from either tracked or wheeled launchers, according to the officials.

On Monday, President Joe Biden said that Washington would not supply Kiev with missile systems capable of striking Russian territory.

The Biden administration has already provided Ukraine with 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems along with 5,500 Javelins, and hundreds of drones among other equipment since Russia's special military operation began in February.

On 24 February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the newly-recognised republics of Donetsk and Lugansk requested help in defending themselves from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.