US Poised to Send Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine: Report

The U.S. will likely supply Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems weaponry, boosting the country’s ability to repel Russian invaders, ABC News reported Friday.

The move, which is yet to be officially approved or announced by the Biden administration, would represent the latest transfer of supplies to Ukraine after initial U.S. reticence and a significant upping of the stakes for Western support of Ukraine as the war drags on.

"They are coming," one U.S. official told ABC of the Army Tactical Missile Systems — ATACMS for short — on condition of anonymity.

A second anonymous source told the network that the missiles are “on the table” and likely to be part of a future security aid package to Ukraine.

Both sources noted, however, that a final decision is yet to be made. And the second source said that Ukraine may not actually receive the weaponry for months.

The U.S. had previously signaled unwillingness to provide Ukraine with the long-range missiles, which can strike targets from a distance of up to 190 miles, depending on the model, and can be launched from the HIMARS missile batteries that the Ukrainians have been using to success.

But Ukraine’s counteroffensive has run into stubborn Russian lines and, the sources told ABC, the U.S. recently discovered that it has a larger stockpile of ATACMS than previously believed. The condition of the newly rediscovered cache remains to be seen.

Mick Mulroy, a former CIA officer and deputy assistant secretary of defense who now contributes to ABC News, told the network that the ATACMS, if supplied, would allow Ukraine to more easily strike key targets in Russian-held Crimea.

"I think specific targets in Crimea would be command and control, logistics hubs — especially ammunition facilities — and air bases," Mulroy said.

Should the U.S. decide to send ATACMS, it would be the latest instance of the Pentagon providing Ukraine with support it had previously denied.

The White House once refused to provide Ukraine with M-1 Abrams battle tanks, Patriot missile interceptors and F-16 fighter jet training, only to later provide or commit to provide each as the war has dragged on.