The US reveals the number of ATACMS missiles remaining in Ukraine.
The New York Times reported that Ukraine has several dozen ATACMS missiles and no new supplies.
According to RIA Novosti on December 28, the New York Times quoted US officials as saying that the Ukrainian armed forces only had a few dozen ATACMS missiles at the time they were authorized to strike deep into Russian territory, and had no chance of increasing their number afterward.
“At that time, Ukraine had only ‘a few dozen missiles’ left – perhaps around 50. And there was no chance of acquiring more, given the limited number of missiles the U.S. had to allocate for deployment in the Middle East and Asia,” the New York Times reported.
Furthermore, the publication added that American long-range missiles cannot influence the course of the conflict in Ukraine. ATACMS repeats the fate of HIMARS MLRS, F-16 fighter jets, and other Western weapons that Ukraine requested as aid.
"No weapon ever becomes a silver bullet," the New York Times summarized.
In mid-November 2024, US President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use US long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. Similarly, the UK and France granted authorization for their Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles.
In response to attacks by Ukrainian armed forces on targets in the Kursk and Bryansk regions using ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles, Russia tested one of its newest hypersonic medium-range missile systems – the Oreshnik.
US President-elect Donald Trump called Biden's decision a mistake and declared he would reverse it after taking office.