The precision weapons were part of the emergency military package announced by the US for Ukraine in March, but were not explicitly listed "to maintain operational security for Ukraine at its request".
The Pentagon said Wednesday that President Joe Biden had directed his team to make the deliveries after Russia bought ballistic missiles from North Korea and used them against Ukraine.
The Army Tactical Missile System – known as ATACMS – will help Ukraine create safe havens anywhere in Russian-held Ukrainian territories, the department said.
Several US media outlets, citing US government officials, reported that the missiles had arrived last week and had already been used.
NBC News said Ukraine attacked the occupied Crimea peninsula last week and the occupied city of Berdyansk in southeast Ukraine this week.
According to reports, further ATACMS missiles are also to be included in the military package announced by US President Joe Biden on Wednesday after Congressional approval.
The Pentagon did not clarify Wednesday whether the ATACMS missiles supplied were models with a range of about 300 kilometers or shorter ranges.
Last October, Ukraine deployed ATACMS missiles imported from the US. At the time, these were models with a short range of around 165 kilometres. The Ukrainian government is advocating missiles that can attack targets far away.
sha/
The Pentagon said Wednesday that President Joe Biden had directed his team to make the deliveries after Russia bought ballistic missiles from North Korea and used them against Ukraine.
The Army Tactical Missile System – known as ATACMS – will help Ukraine create safe havens anywhere in Russian-held Ukrainian territories, the department said.
Several US media outlets, citing US government officials, reported that the missiles had arrived last week and had already been used.
NBC News said Ukraine attacked the occupied Crimea peninsula last week and the occupied city of Berdyansk in southeast Ukraine this week.
According to reports, further ATACMS missiles are also to be included in the military package announced by US President Joe Biden on Wednesday after Congressional approval.
The Pentagon did not clarify Wednesday whether the ATACMS missiles supplied were models with a range of about 300 kilometers or shorter ranges.
Last October, Ukraine deployed ATACMS missiles imported from the US. At the time, these were models with a short range of around 165 kilometres. The Ukrainian government is advocating missiles that can attack targets far away.
sha/
