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The Biden administration is preparing to send advanced long-range rocket systems to Ukraine as the country suffers losses in the east due to the advance of Russian forces, US administration officials said and Congress staff.
The move, which could be announced next week, involves the supply of the rocket launcher, or MLRS, an American weapon capable of firing a torrent of rockets many miles away from Ukraine’s current capabilities. .
The rocket system has been one of the main demands of Ukrainian officials who say it is necessary to slow down the advance of Russian forces, who on Friday demanded full control of the strategic eastern city of Lyman, giving Moscow a another victory in his offensive in the eastern Donbass region of Ukraine. . CNN first reported on U.S. preparations to send the system.
The transfer is subject to a final decision by the White House.
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The Kremlin has warned that any country that provides advanced weapons to Ukraine will face severe repercussions. On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the West had “declared full war” on Russia.
The Biden administration is trying to help Kyiv defend itself without provoking Russian retaliation against US forces or allies. At a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill this week, State Department officials said some White House officials were concerned that providing the MLRS with a range of more than 180 miles could lead to Ukrainian forces shoot rockets into Russian territory and cause a major escalation. , according to people known to the briefing, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about military issues.
State Department officials at the meeting said that these concerns are likely to be addressed with the Ukrainian leadership. A senior US official said the White House is comfortable providing the MLRS system in Ukraine, but will try to manage the risk of escalation by retaining longer-range rockets compatible with the system.
Typical rockets launched by these systems have a range of about 43 miles, according to military data. Specialized rockets called Army Tactical Missile Systems can strike much farther at distances of up to 186 miles. These missiles were used during the Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq War and are used to pulverize critical infrastructure, such as air defense sites and advanced bases.
Even smaller rockets would do more than double the range of Ukraine’s firepower. Kyiv forces are using US-delivered M777 shells, which have a range of about 18 miles. Other sophisticated weapons that the United States has sent include thousands of Stinger and Javelin missiles fired into the shoulder.
Despite the flooding of U.S. and Western weapons in Ukraine, Moscow maintains a firepower advantage, which Ukrainian officials say is causing them to lose ground in the Donbas.
The White House received criticism on Friday from some Republicans for not moving faster with the delivery of the rocket system, including Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (RS.C.). “The Biden administration has been dragging its feet,” he tweeted.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration was not slow in its request.
“I would not consider the idea of a robbery here,” he told reporters on Friday.
He said the United States was moving weapons systems to Ukraine “every day … literally helping them in the fight, including shells, which are still coming.”
When asked to confirm the imminent transfer of long-range rocket systems, Kirby said, “I will not go ahead with unannounced decisions.”
Ukrainian officials have become increasingly public in their demands for weapons amid Russian advances in the east. “If you really care about Ukraine, go back to weapons, armor and weapons,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Thursday.
“My least favorite phrase is ‘We’re working on it’; I hate it. I want to hear ‘We have it’ or ‘It won’t happen,’ “he said.
In the easternmost province of Luhansk, Russia controls more than 95 percent of the territory, according to the Washington-based Institute for War Study. Severodonetsk, one of the last major Ukrainian-controlled cities east of Luhansk, is under heavy assault, with forces almost encircling the city. Russian troops are constantly approaching from the northeast, where they already control several areas.
In Izyum, a town near the Donbas region, Russian troops were advancing eastward, possibly to merge operations with those of the captured city of Lyman, potentially surrounding a large mass of Ukrainian forces in what would be a large battlefield defeat. Russian artillery and tanks were observed in nearby cities. Around the city of Donetsk, the Russians have so far been unsuccessful, the think tank said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Friday with Kuleba, his Ukrainian counterpart. After the call, Kuleba tweeted “Heavy weapons at the top of our agenda and more are coming to us.”
Alex Horton, Maria Paul, Claire Parker and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report.