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Russia moves 90% of military planes beyond ATACMS range, US official claims

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Russia moves 90% of military planes beyond ATACMS range, US official claims
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is fired during a joint training between the United States and South Korea on Oct. 5, 2022, at an undisclosed location. Photo for illustrative purposes. (South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images)

Russia has reportedly transferred 90% of its military aircraft to bases outside the reach of long-range ATACMS, a United States official told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in remarks published Aug. 27.

The U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) have a range of approximately 165-300 kilometers. The U.S. first supplied long-range ATACMS to Ukraine in March of 2024.

Russia has responded to Ukraine's acquisition of ATACMS by moving most of its aircraft beyond the missiles' range, the unnamed official told the WSJ, citing a new U.S. intelligence report.

With 90% of the planes out of reach, striking deep inside Russia with ATACMS makes little strategic sense, the official claimed.

U.S. policy currently prohibits Ukraine from using American-supplied weapons to attack targets deep within Russian territory. Kyiv has lobbied Washington to lift these restrictions and allow Ukrainian forces to strike airbases and other military targets beyond the border zone.

The U.S. official also told the WSJ that Ukrainian forces may have better success striking Russian airbases using its own long-range drones.

Ukraine has been scaling up domestic defense production in order to strike key targets in Russia without regard to Western restrictions. The Palianytsia, a newly developed homegrown missile-drone, was designed to strike Russian airfields.

As Kyiv looks for ways to destabilize Russia's military assets, Russian forces over the past two days hit Ukraine with mass attacks. Russia on Aug. 26 launched over 200 missiles and drones as part of its largest-ever aerial attack throughout the full-scale war.

Kyiv to present US list of targets in Russia it wants to hit with long-range arms, Politico reports
Ukraine is planning to submit a list of targets in Russia that Kyiv could strike with American-supplied long-range weapons to the top U.S. national security officials, Politico reported on Aug. 27 citing unnamed sources.
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Abbey Fenbert

Senior News Editor

Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.

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