The US government is now supplying Ukraine with modern multiple rocket launchers to defend itself against the Russian invasion as part of a new security package. The White House said Ukraine had promised not to attack targets on Russian territory with the US-made HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, pictured) artillery system.
The system is part of a $700 million package that includes HIMARS, missiles, radar systems, Javelin anti-tank weapons, helicopters, vehicles and spare parts.
A senior US official said local time Tuesday evening: “These systems are being used by the Ukrainians to fend off Russian advances into Ukrainian territory, but they are not being used against targets on Russian territory. The Ukrainians have assured us that they will not use these systems against targets on Russian territory.” The US would provide missiles with the HIMARS system that would only have a range of about 80 kilometers – specialized missiles for use in the system, on the other hand, can fly up to 300 kilometers.
Since mid-April, the Ukrainians have been pushing for the delivery of artillery. This has become the “top priority” for the United States. Almost all 108 promised American M777 howitzers have already been delivered. The range of these howitzers is given as approximately 25 kilometers. The US government has already launched several major aid packages for Ukraine. The US Congress recently approved an aid package for Ukraine worth nearly $40 billion.
Fear of retaliatory attacks from Russia
The US media reported last week that the US is considering the delivery of the HIMARS system. US President Joe Biden caused confusion on Monday when he said he would not send missile systems to Ukraine that could hit Russian territory. According to his spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, the president said no missiles would be delivered “for use outside the battlefield in Ukraine”.
CNN had reported to the US government fears that Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory could lead to retaliation against the US.
“Hit important targets more accurately” – in Ukraine
Biden wrote in a guest article for the New York Times that modern missile systems should allow the attacked country to more accurately hit “key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.” At the same time, he assured: “We do not want a war between NATO and Russia.” The US has also not attempted to overthrow Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, if Russia does not pay a heavy price for attacking Ukraine, it could lead to the end of the rules-based international order and catastrophic consequences worldwide.
“As long as the United States or our allies are not attacked, we will not intervene directly in this conflict, either by sending US troops to Ukraine or by attacking Russian troops,” the US president said. “We do not encourage or enable Ukraine to strike outside its borders. We don’t want to prolong the war to hurt Russia.”
However, the Americans would continue to support the Ukrainian people “because we know that freedom is not free,” Biden wrote. “We want a democratic, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine that has the means to deter and defend further aggression.” The US would continue to work with its partners on sanctions against Russia.
Biden stressed that there is currently no evidence that Russia intends to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Russia’s “occasional nuclear saber-rattling rhetoric” is in itself dangerous and irresponsible. “To be clear, any use of nuclear weapons in this conflict, on any scale, would be totally unacceptable to us and the rest of the world and would have dire consequences.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
