Image source: topwar.ru
The Ukrainian authorities are disappointed that the Biden administration is resisting the provision of American long-range missile systems. Long-range artillery, according to Kiev, will be crucial in the military confrontation with Russia. However, the White House fears that the provision of such weapons will be perceived by the Kremlin as a direct escalation of the conflict between NATO and Russia.
— writes Politico.
However, as sources in the American government told Politico, the White House believes that the Armed Forces of Ukraine can use long-range weapons to strike at the territory of Russia. Such actions may provoke Moscow to take retaliatory steps and aggravate not only the military conflict in Ukraine, but may take it outside the region. Therefore, despite the unprecedented military assistance that the United States is already providing to Ukraine, Washington will send howitzers to Kiev instead of MLRS. In addition, as practical Americans argue, these installations and ammunition for them are much cheaper.
The United States has already "imperceptibly" provided Ukraine with several old Soviet multiple launch rocket systems from the warehouses of allies from Eastern Europe. And despite Kiev's insistent requests, they are not going to supply modern long-range systems yet.
The publication does not give the name of the MLRS that Ukraine requests. But it describes the technical characteristics of the M270 MLRS rocket launcher, which entered service with the US Army in 1983. This is a mobile weapon capable of firing 12 missiles and quickly changing the location. The firing range of the M270 is 30-60 kilometers with conventional shells and up to 160 km with special missiles.
Earlier, Kiev reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine received American Himars systems with a firing range of up to 500 km. However, there is no official confirmation of this from Washington.
Politico writes that the American authorities are afraid of Putin's "unpredictability." The White House believes that providing Ukraine with long-range modern weapons could provoke the Kremlin to use "chemical weapons or other means of mass destruction." Based on this, the Biden administration is not going to supply Ukraine with MLRS and similar installations yet, according to the US press.
If this is indeed the case, then American politicians still have a certain amount of sanity in relation to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Although these publications may be a portion of misinformation.
