Although kyiv has publicly stated that it has requested its long-range Tomahawk missiles from the United States, it is unlikely to receive sea-launched munitions, which are roughly equivalent to Russia’s Kalibr, despite the advantages they offer. could contribute to the war campaign.

The New York Times reported in late October that the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyhad proposed to the United States, as part of its “victory plan”, that kyiv receive Tomahawk missiles, which had not been announced before.

Zelensky’s imagined “victory plan” was presented to Ukrainian lawmakers and kyiv’s international backers last month, but received a lukewarm response at what could be a crucial moment in the war effort. Russia is gaining ground in the East, and the future of Ukrainian military aid on which kyiv depends is at stake as the US presidential elections approach.

An unnamed senior U.S. official told the newspaper that the Tomahawks’ request was completely unrealistic. News week contacted the White House and the Pentagon for comments by email.

Zelensky confirmed to reporters that he had requested the Tomahawks from Washington, adding: “This was confidential information between Ukraine and the White House.

“How should we understand these messages? So, does that mean that between partners there is nothing confidential?” » declared the Ukrainian leader.

The Tomahawk is a long-range precision weapon used by American militarysurface ships and submarines. Ranges differ slightly between versions of the missile, but it can strike at ranges up to about 1,500 miles.

That far exceeds the 300-mile range offered by the Army’s Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, ballistic missiles supplied by the United States to Ukraine in apparently limited numbers.

Ukraine has been forced by Western bans, led by the United States, to use Western-made long-range weapons to strike high-value Russian targets hundreds of kilometers from Moscow’s territory. kyiv has strongly called for opposition to this measure, but Washington has so far not moved.

“The Tomahawks in Ukraine’s hands could be put to good use,” said William Freer, a national security researcher at the U.K.-based Council on Geostrategy think tank.

“They could make Russian long-range military assets and infrastructure vulnerable,” while putting new pressure on Russian air and missile defense systems, Freer said. News week.

Russia has its own stockpiles of submarine- or ship-launched cruise missiles, including the Kalibr type that it regularly uses to target Ukraine from the Black Sea. Kyiv officials said Russia was going through periods of get more out of a certain type of missilelike Kalibr, followed by a lull during the replenishment of its stocks.

The Kalibr played an important role in the Russian strikes, Freer said, and its range is broadly similar to that of the American Tomahawk.

“The threat of the Kalibr should not be underestimated, but the combat record of the Tomahawk is more impressive,” Freer said.

Ukraine could use Tomahawks to strike Russia’s supply lines and disrupt Moscow’s strikes on the war-torn country, which could have “significant results on the battlefield,” Freer said.

But the United States has a limited number of land-attack cruise missiles, having exhausted a “significant” portion of its stockpile in recent years, Freer said.

“Given the need to maintain missile stockpiles for a possible Chinese contingency, it is unclear how many the United States could hand over, even if it overcomes escalation inertia,” Freer said. The United States views China as an “imminent threat,” and its attention is increasingly turning to Beijing’s military activity.

The United States and its allies have used these munitions in combat more than 2,300 times, according to defense giant Raytheon, which makes the missiles. There are several variants of the Tomahawk, including the new, modernized Block V series that the United States has spent recent years improving.

“Whatever the outcome, the conflict in Ukraine is a stark reminder of the importance of strike capabilities, low stockpiles and limited production capacity across the country. NATOthat need to be overcome,” Freer said.