The Pentagon secretly modified advanced missile systems sent to Ukraine to prevent them from being used against Russia’s territory and thus provoke an escalation of the conflict. This is what the Wall Street Journal reveals, reporting that from June to today the United States has supplied Kiev with 20 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, the so-called Himars, modifying them so as not to be able to launch long-range missiles.
Together with the Himars, the US sent Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, GMLRS, with a range of 50 miles, about 80 kilometers, to Ukraine, which were used to hit Russian ammunition depots and command centers inside Ukraine . In announcing the sending of this type of weapon last May, Joe Biden said that no missile systems would be “sent to Ukraine to attack inside Russia”. Voldymyr Zelensky, for his part, had pledged not to use these missiles for attacks on Russian territory.
Again out of fear that they could be used to attack inside Russia, the United States has not sent the ATMS missiles, Army Tactical Missile System, insistently requested by Kiev, which have a range of over 299 kilometres. Similarly, Washington has so far resisted requests, including by US senators, to send the super-advanced Gray Eagle MQ-1C drones.
