In a covert operation, the United States recently delivered new long-range missiles to Ukraine. These missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), were used by the Ukrainian army for attacks on Russian opponents earlier in the week. While Ukraine had previously received a version of this system with a range of about 160 kilometers, they had been seeking missiles with a longer range of 300 kilometers to target occupied territories like Crimea.
President Joe Biden had approved the delivery of over 100 of these longer-range missiles in February, but the operation was kept secret to prevent the Russian army from preparing for attacks from greater distances. The new missiles were deployed for the first time in an attack on Russian troops in Berdiansk and then again on a military airport in Dzhankoi, Crimea. Social media images showed successful strikes, with ammunition supplies still on fire hours after the attacks.
Information about the missile deliveries to Ukraine was not widely publicized, possibly to maintain the element of surprise. The use of these longer-range missiles signifies a shift in tactics for the Ukrainian army and could impact the ongoing conflict in the region. However, it is difficult to determine what these implications will be until further analysis is conducted.