Trump slams Biden's decision on missile strikes in Russia
Donald Trump believes that shelling targets deep within Russia are steps that only escalate the ongoing war, noting that the Ukrainians have limited weaponry to achieve this. However, this list does include American ATACMS missiles, which have significant capabilities.
The President-elect of the United States disagrees with many decisions made by Joe Biden's administration regarding Ukraine. This includes the delivery of long-range weapons like ATACMS missiles, particularly allowing their use to attack targets deep within Russia. The last such incident occurred on December 11th, when ATACMS missiles struck the airport in Taganrog.
Donald Trump sharply criticizes attacks deep in Russia
"It's crazy what's taking place. It's crazy. I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We're just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done," said Trump in an interview with "Time" magazine.
The Joe Biden administration initially decided to provide Ukraine with older ATACMS variants (M39), with a range estimated at about 100 miles. However, as time passed, newer versions of these missiles began to appear in aid packages, which are capable of striking targets at a distance of up to 190 miles.
A breakthrough occurred in November when U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use American weaponry to strike targets deep inside Russia. It was reported that the decision was made partly due to the increasing cooperation between Russia and North Korea, resulting in the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia's Kursk region.
Long-range weaponry in the hands of Ukraine
ATACMS are ballistic missiles manufactured by Lockheed Martin, measuring about 13 feet in length. The differences between older and newer versions include range, as well as warheads and navigation systems. The newer versions have satellite navigation (not just inertial navigation), significantly increasing attack precision. From the Ukrainian perspective, a vital feature of ATACMS is the ability to launch them not from aircraft but from HIMARS launchers, which they also received as part of support.
ATACMS ballistic missiles are among the few Western long-range weapons in the Ukrainian arsenal. The UK and France also provide support with the delivery of Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG cruise missiles. To launch these, aircraft are needed, which required the Ukrainians to make appropriate modifications to the Su-24.
