Ukraine War
Biden Says US Won’t Send Rockets To Ukraine That Could Reach Russia
(CTN News) – Joe Biden said he doesn’t plan to send rockets to Ukraine that could reach Russian territory.
When asked whether he planned to send long-range rockets to Ukraine, Biden replied, “I won’t send anything that can fire into Russia.”
CNN reported last week that officials in the Biden administration are planning to step up the weapons they are offering Ukraine by sending advanced, long-range rocket systems, which are now their top request.
It is likely that the administration will provide the systems to Ukraine as part of a broader package of military and security assistance, which could be announced as soon as next week.
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Administration officials have wavered on whether to send the systems amid concerns raised within the National Security Council that Ukraine could use the new weapons to conduct offensive attacks inside Russia.
As CNN reported the news on Friday, Russian officials warned the United States not to supply the systems to Ukraine.
There is a wide range of ammunition available for firing from the rocket systems the Biden administration is preparing to send to Ukraine.
Although some of the longer-range weapons have ranges of 300 miles (or about 500 kilometers) or more, the systems can also fire rockets with a range of a few dozen miles – not considered long-range weapons, but still capable of reaching greater distances than the howitzers the US has already sent to Ukraine.
Biden’s Monday comments leave open the possibility that the US might be able to send the advanced, long-range rocket systems without the longest-range rockets.
