U.S. officials told Fox News that the Intelligence Committee (IC) and the Department of Defense have recommended against modifying U.S. policy that would allow Ukraine to use U.S.-made long-range missiles to attack targets deep in Russia. He said the sacrifices outweighed the benefits.
According to IC and Department of Defense (DOD) analysis, there are several targets within the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), so a policy change would have no strategic impact and could change the course of the war. Probably not. Cruising range is 300km.
In August, the IC assessed that Russia had moved more than 90% of its aircraft out of range of ATACMS, which was “misunderstood as a solution to glide bombs.”
This recommendation is partially due to Ukraine's limited stockpile as it does not have sufficient ATACMS, and the Department of Defense recommends that the U.S. build additional stockpiles without compromising U.S. military readiness. It is recommended that this cannot be reversed.
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U.S. officials have balked at changing policy that would allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to attack targets deep in Russia. (John Hamilton/U.S. Army, Associated Press, File)
President Biden has not ruled out changing policy in the future, and the United States has not officially said “no” to Ukraine. Still, one U.S. official told Fox that Biden has no intention of changing policy because there are few benefits and potentially some costs.
“It would be irresponsible to not take into account Russia's actions,” the official said.
The official also said Russia is “a nuclear power that can do very bad things to both Ukraine and the United States,” adding that Russia was behind the warehouse bombing and the attempted sabotage. He mentioned the revelations made last week by Germany's spy chief. This summer involved an airplane parcel bomb that could have brought Berlin and Moscow closer to war.
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This view shows an apartment building damaged by a Russian military attack on October 10, 2023 in Vledal, Ukraine. (Reuters/Evhen Titov)
The official reiterated that concerns about escalation are not the only factor driving Biden's thinking. The IC assessed that if a policy change were made, Russia would simply relocate its assets out of range.
Still, Fox was told that the Biden administration is considering additional sanctions in response to North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia. The official added that the United States is currently consulting with allies and partners on the best way forward.
The official contacted Fox News' Jackie Heinrich on Wednesday after an exchange with White House National Security Press Secretary John Kirby.
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National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby said Wednesday it was not clear what the North Korean soldiers were doing in Russia or whether they would take part in combat. (Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
During the exchange, Heinrich asked why the U.S. should use Ukraine's long-range missiles at a time when U.S. officials have warned that North Korea's launch of long-range missiles could have far-reaching consequences. I asked him if he didn't approve of it. Soldiers enter Ukraine.
“We don't know exactly what they're going to do,” Kirby said. “We don’t know what they’re going to do, we don’t know if they’re going to be sent into combat.
“Let's see what Russia and North Korea do here,” he later told Heinrich. “As I said earlier, if North Korean soldiers decide to join the fight against Ukraine, they will become legitimate military targets.”
President Zelenskiy will visit the United States this month to present a “victory plan,” a key provision of which is to lift restrictions on ATACMS and other long-range missiles provided by the United States to attack military targets inside Russia. was included.
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Ukraine claims its long-range missiles can thwart Russia's deadly glide bombs, and many U.S. lawmakers have increased pressure on Mr. Biden to unleash long-range missile capabilities.
FOX News' Morgan Phillips and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
