‘US is great at confusing Russia’ – expert on decision to provide ATACMS to Ukraine

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

"I think that many people were surprised that ATACMS were promised to be, then not, and then again. If we look at the F-16, Abrams, HIMARS, there was no such case where they just said that and everything went. Either it has already arrived and people have started talking about it, or it will not appear soon. In this case, the Americans are doing well, because they are confusing our enemies. And they confuse the Kremlin with this information so much that they don't know how to react. We once used a formula: the supply of all types of weapons is a matter of time, which really depends on the situation on the front line, on the level of training of troops, specialists, and logistics. Because everyone understands that there is no point in supplying when there is no one to use it. But even if it is used, there is no way to maintain it," the diplomat said.

Roman Bezsmertnyi summed up that the supply of military aid to Ukraine should be implemented, but it all comes at a price – the deaths of soldiers at the front. And this is something that certainly puts pressure on the need to accelerate and increase military assistance to Ukraine.

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.