Ukraine would benefit from ATACM missiles, says US army general

Ukraine would benefit from the US provision of ATACM long-range missiles, President Joe Biden’s nominee to become the Army’s chief of staff, General Randy George, told a Senate committee on Wednesday.

“The ATACMS obviously are great. That missile is a great system, adds range. So that’s basically what it would be providing is the ability to attack deeper targets,” George, currently the Army’s vice chief of staff, said at his confirmation hearing.

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Asked if they would be helpful to Ukraine, George responded: “Yes.” He stopped short of saying whether he would recommend sending them if confirmed for the job.

Kyiv has long sought the US Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, arguing the missiles would help it strike Russian invasion forces far behind the front lines.

But ATACMs are limited in supply and have not been among the weapons systems that the Pentagon has suggested are nearing approval for delivery – even as it approves other weapons, like cluster bombs and Abrams tanks, for Ukraine.

The Pentagon said on June 29 that it did not expect any imminent decision to send ATACMs to Ukraine.

Washington has committed more than $41.3 billion in military assistance to Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor on February 24, 2022.

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