US provides long-range missiles to Ukraine… “Response to Russia’s use of North Korean missiles”

It was confirmed that the United States sent a new long-range missile, ATACMS, to Ukraine last month in response to Russia’s use of North Korean ballistic missiles in an attack on Ukraine.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a briefing on the 24th (local time) that ATACMS had already arrived in Ukraine last month under President Joe Biden’s instructions. Advisor Sullivan explained, “This is due to Russia procuring ballistic missiles from North Korea and using them against Ukraine.”

ATACMS, which Ukraine has continuously requested, has a range of up to 300 km and can strike Russian-occupied military bases and supply lines in southern and eastern Ukraine, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia forcibly annexed. In October last year, the United States supported the Sagani 165km old ATACMS due to concerns about the possibility of an escalation of war due to opposition from Russia.

Asked about the possibility that providing long-range missiles to Ukraine would provoke Russia, Sullivan said, “What we’ve seen is that Russia has been receiving long-range missiles from other countries, especially North Korea, and using them not only on the battlefield, but also to attack Ukrainian civilians.” said. This can be interpreted as an explanation that the United States has also decided to provide long-range missiles to Ukraine in response to North Korea’s provision of weapons to Russia.

Sullivan said that additional support for ATACMS would be possible according to the Ukraine security support budget bill passed by Congress, but added, “One (military) capability cannot be the solution. “There is no panacea for this war,” he said.

President Biden signed the $95 billion security support budget for Ukraine, Israel, etc. and the TikTok ban that passed Congress on this day. The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it plans to provide weapons and equipment worth $1 billion (approximately 1.4 trillion won) to Ukraine. This included anti-aircraft missiles, ammunition for the High-Speed ​​Mobile Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), artillery shells, Bradley armored vehicles, and ammunition for aerial precision strikes.