Ukraine's Security Council Secretary stresses that Ukraine will not launch ATACMS missiles at Russia

Tuesday, 26 September 2023, 13:48

Oleksii Danilov, the Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, has emphasised that Ukraine will not use the long-range ATACMS missiles which are to be provided by the United States for strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Source: Danilov in an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC

Danilov stressed that the long-range missiles provided by the US "will be used exclusively to protect the territory of Ukraine".

Quote: "We will not use them on the territory of Russia. We have agreements on this with our partners."

Details: At the same time, Danilov says that the transfer of the war to Russian territory is necessary for the protection of Ukraine: "It is our task to strike with our own weapons at the military facilities of the Russian Federation, from which attacks on our children are carried out almost every day."

He reiterated that Ukraine would not attack Russia’s civilian population.

Last week, the US confirmed that it would supply Kyiv with long-range anti-tank missiles, which are key to attacks on the Russian army's supply lines. Danilov emphasised the importance of this weapon: "We would really like to have it."

Background: 

  • NBC News reported that US President Joe Biden had informed his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington will supply Ukraine with a small batch of ATACMS long-range missiles to help it in the war with Russia.
  • Washington had previously explained its refusal to deliver long-range missiles by saying the United States lacked sufficient stocks of these weapons. Another reason, which US officials did not voice publicly, is the fear of escalation by Russia.

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