According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon has been quietly preventing Ukraine from using U.S.-supplied long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike inside Russian territory. This policy, cited by U.S. officials, limits a key capability for Kyiv as it defends against Moscow’s ongoing invasion.
The restriction is said to be a deliberate measure to control the escalation of the conflict. By limiting Ukraine’s ability to conduct long-range strikes deep into Russia, the Biden administration aims to reduce the risk of a direct military confrontation between NATO and Russia.
This policy means that while Ukraine can use these powerful missiles to hit Russian forces within occupied Ukrainian territory, such as in Crimea or the Donbas, it is barred from targeting military assets, logistics hubs, or airfields located inside Russia’s pre-2022 borders.
The news agency Reuters noted that it could not immediately verify the details of the report. The reported restrictions highlight the ongoing balancing act for the U.S. as it seeks to support Ukraine’s defense while managing its own geopolitical risks.
