According to insiders, the US is close to a deal to supply Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles that can reach deep into Russia. It will probably take some time before the weapons are ready for use…
The government in Kiev will have to wait for the missiles for several months because the US still has to solve technical problems before a possible delivery, several American insiders say. The decision should be announced in the fall.
Long-range missiles
The weapons are Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM), i.e. conventional air-to-surface cruise missiles with a medium to long range. They can be launched from aircraft to the ground and hit targets up to 370 kilometers away.
Supplying Ukraine with JASSM missiles could significantly improve its strategic capabilities and give the country a much-needed edge over Russia.
Ukraine is losing significant ground
According to calculations by the AFP news agency, the Russian army made more progress in the war against Ukraine in August than at any time since October 2022. As AFP calculated based on data from the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on confirmed and claimed territorial gains, the Russian army took control of 477 square kilometers in Ukraine last month.
This is the largest Russian territorial gain since October 2022 and is equivalent to more than 15 square kilometers per day in August. Russia gained most of its territory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. On Sunday evening, the Russian army was only seven kilometers away from the city of Pokrovsk, which is considered a logistical hub of great strategic importance.
Moscow controls 18 percent of Ukraine
The Russian military occupied a total of 66,266 square kilometers in Ukraine on Monday. Together with the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, the land gains confirmed or claimed by Russia in 2013 represented 18 percent of Ukraine’s national territory.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
