The United States does not authorize the use of Western long-range weapons to strike deep into Russia for several reasons, including the small number of long-range ATACMS missiles, Deputy Defense Department spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said during a briefing for journalists on Thursday, September 5, Radiosvoboda reports.
She also mentioned concerns about the escalation of the conflict,
There is a limited number of ATACMS. There is no surplus of these long-range weapons. And, of course, one thing we always assess is escalation, and that’s something we’ve been very clear about from the beginning, – she said.
In addition, the Pentagon spokeswoman added that the Defense Forces have been successfully using ATACMS for combat operations in eastern and southern Ukraine. And it is there that the United States is helping them to direct their combat power.
Sabrina Singh confirmed the statement of the White House Security Communications Advisor John Kirby that the range of ATACMS is not enough to strike Russian airfields from where the planes take off to strike Ukraine.
Our intelligence estimates that 90 percent of Russian aircraft launching guided bombs and missiles against Ukraine are at airfields that are 300 kilometers away from Ukrainian-controlled territory, – the spokeswoman added.
She announced that strengthening Ukraine’s air defense will be on the agenda of the meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine’s Defense in Ramstein, Germany, on Friday, September 6.
