Pentagon blocked Ukraine's use of long-range missiles against Russia - report

According to the report, the move was intended to allow the White House to advance diplomatic talks with the Kremlin

Owen AltermanNatalie Howitt ■ Owen Alterman, Natalie Howitt
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321st Field Artillery Regiment of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade out of Fort Bragg N.C., conduct live fire testing at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., on Dec. 14, 2021,
321st Field Artillery Regiment of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade out of Fort Bragg N.C., conduct live fire testing at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., on Dec. 14, 2021, John Hamilton/U.S. Army via AP, file

A Wall Street Journal report revealed Saturday that the Pentagon has blocked Ukraine from using American-made long-range missiles, intended to strike targets inside Russia, in recent months since the spring.

According to US officials, the move -- which had not been disclosed until now -- was intended to reduce the risk of escalation and allow the White House to hold diplomatic talks with the Kremlin.

According to the report, in at least one case, Ukraine requested permission to use ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 190 miles against a target in Russia but was denied. 

The internal mechanism developed at the Pentagon, headed by Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, requires that each request from Ukraine be reviewed and that the final decision be made by US Defense Secretary Pete Gasseth.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in response that "President Trump was very clear: the war in Ukraine must end. There is no change in the deployment of military forces between Russia and Ukraine at this time," emphasizing that the Secretary of Defense is acting in full coordination with the President.

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