US fears escalation due to positive effect: Israeli military expert on ATACMS

He said this in the Studio West with Antin Borkovskyi program on Espreso TV. 

"Scalp and Storm Shadow were not delivered much, but they are useful. And if you add ATACMS to them, it is an additional plus for Ukraine. Because they do not require aircraft, they are launched from ground-based HIMARS. There is a reason why Ukraine has been asking for ATACMS for a long time, and there is a reason why the United States has not given them to us. It seems that both sides agree that this will have a positive effect. And so positive that the US fears an escalation, and that is why it is not giving them. In other words, the very fact that they are not being provided shows that this weapon is of great importance," Handelman said.

According to him, the Russians have nowhere to pull back their headquarters and warehouses on the southern front.

"Another additional advantage of the influence on the southern front is that Russia cannot pull back its headquarters and warehouses. Because sooner or later, they will run into the sea. ATACMS can reach all this depth. Let's see if ATACMS will arrive at the front in the near future, because the information is contradictory every day. In any case, these missiles have not yet been used at the front. If they do arrive and start being used, we will be able to actually see them in practice," emphasized Handelman.

What is known about sending ATACMS to Ukraine

On April 19, the United States announced another USD 325 million military aid package to Ukraine, which included HIMARS and artillery shells.

At the end of May, representatives of the US Congress called on Biden to send the missiles to Ukraine. In a letter addressed to the US President, the leaders of the bipartisan Helsinki Commission called on the White House to authorize the delivery of the US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to Ukraine.

On June 10, members of both parties in the US House of Representatives introduced a resolution calling on Joe Biden to send ATACMS to Ukraine.

On June 21, the House Foreign Affairs Committee supported a resolution to Biden calling for the immediate delivery of ATACMS to Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States is close to making a decision to provide Ukraine with long-range tactical missile systems ATACMS.

The WP reported that the US does not have enough ATACMS missiles to provide them to Ukraine. 

On September 9, it was reported that the United States may provide missiles to Ukraine in the next aid package.

On September 12, media reported that the Biden administration was close to approving the supply of longer-range missiles to Ukraine, which are immediately equipped with cluster munitions.

On September 15, The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine is close to receiving ATACMS missiles from the United States this fall.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on September 15, that the Ukrainian military will use US missiles as they see appropriate. 

During the talks in the White House on September 22, US President Joe Biden has reportedly assured Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine would receive a small number of ATACMS missiles.