If the US provides Ukraine with longer-range ATACMS missiles and cluster munitions, it will increase the likelihood of success on the battlefield. This was stated by American Republican Senator Lindsey Graham during a briefing in Kyiv. the correspondent of Radio Svoboda reports.
Graham came to Ukraine on his third working visit since the start of the full-scale invasion. In the capital, he held meetings, in particular, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.
According to the senator, he does not know why Ukraine has not yet been provided with ATACMS missiles. And after returning to the USA, he plans to appeal to his colleagues from the Senate to encourage the Biden administration to provide the Ukrainian army with weapons with a longer range.
“Regarding ATACMS. Why we didn’t give this weapon a longer range is beyond me. HIMARS were of great importance on the battlefield. But the Russians adapted. And ATACMS can reach the Russians where no HIMARS system can reach. I’m going to tell my colleagues in the Senate that we need to encourage the Biden administration to provide ATACMS to the Ukrainian military. This will help in the counteroffensive, wreaking havoc on the Russians as they change positions,” Graham noted.
The Republican senator also mentioned cluster munitions, which, according to Reuters, Ukraine allegedly asked the USA.
“Regarding cluster ammunition. Our and Ukrainian military told me that… they are capable of harming the Russian military. One cluster ammunition is equal to five traditional 155 millimeter howitzer shells. Therefore, I am convinced that if we provide ATACMS and cluster munitions, it will increase the probability of success on the battlefield, save Ukrainian lives and accelerate the liberation of Ukraine from Russia,” the American politician concluded.
The American senator also said that he was informed in Kyiv about the Ukrainian counteroffensive and Graham is confident that its results will be visible in the coming weeks. He also stated that the battle for Bakhmut is not over yet, and that “hell fire is waiting” for the Russian military.
“It is only a matter of time before Ukraine begins to seriously liberate its territories from the Russians. I have never been more optimistic than now that the goal of driving out the invaders is possible. And here the key is to continue the commitment to provide the Ukrainian army with better opportunities to fight against the number of the Russian army,” he said.
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Graham added that Russian forces were “weakened and bloodied,” but the price for the Ukrainian people was high.
“But I expect that the Ukrainian counteroffensive will produce results in the coming days and weeks. And I’m here to tell you that the final chapter of the battle for Bahmut is far from over. I’m here to tell you that the Russian military is about to face hellfire,” the politician added.
Lindsey Graham also noted that “Republicans and Democrats, regardless of the news in the media, are united and will continue to help Ukraine win the fight for its freedom, which will change the world for the better.”
The Republican senator also said that next week the US Senate will take up the task of recognizing Wagner’s group as a foreign terrorist organization.