Zelensky explains why Ukraine needs long-range ATACMS missiles

Ukraine needs long-range ATACMS missiles not to strike Russian territory, but to hit airfields in the temporarily occupied Crimea, from which Russia launches aircraft with precision missiles that cause serious damage. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with The Washington Post, UNN reports.

Details

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine urgently needs long-range ATACM-300 missiles, which he said can hit targets in Russian-occupied Crimea, especially airfields from which Russia launches aircraft with precision missiles that cause serious damage. These missiles have recently hit Odesa and several other targets.

"When Russia has missiles and we don't, they attack everything with missiles - gas, energy, schools, factories, civilian buildings," Zelensky said.

"ATACM-300 is the answer," he continued.

Zelensky noted that he does not want to use longer-range missiles to attack Russian territory, pointing instead to airfields in Crimea.

"When Russia finds out that we can destroy these planes, they will not attack from Crimea. It's like with the navy. We pushed them out of our territorial waters. Now we will push them out of the airports of Crimea," Zelensky said.

The President recalled that in February in Munich, he presented a map of targets that ATACMS could strike.

"I showed them military platforms such as airports, air defense systems, and other facilities," Zelenskyy said.

When asked if ATACMS was on the way, as rumored in Washington, he laughed and said: "I can't share that information with you.

According to him, the missiles are "not in Ukraine" now.

Addendum

The WSJ reportedthat the Pentagon is ready to provide Ukraine with ATACMS missiles with a range of almost 300 kilometers.