On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced a fresh $700 million military aid to the Ukrainian weapons program, including a highly manoeuvrable rocket launcher system that can accurately hit targets up to 80 km away.
“The US will stand with our Ukrainian partners and continue to provide Ukraine with weapons and equipment to defend itself,” Biden said.

Biden announced plans to supply Ukraine with a precision HIMARS rocket system after receiving assurances from Kyiv that it would not be used against targets on Russian territory. Biden made this condition to avoid an escalation of the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine has been seeking multiple rocket launch systems (MLRS) such as the M270 and M142 HIMARS – both built by Lockheed Martin – to provide more firepower at longer distances against Russian forces behind the Russian concentration and weapons stockpiles.

The long-range rockets Ukraine is looking for could have a range of 300 miles, far beyond the range of howitzers. The rockets agreed to by the Biden administration have a shorter range than the Soviet-era rockets that Ukraine is currently in short supply of.

“The Ukrainians assured us that they would not use these systems to attack targets on Russian territory,” Blinken said during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. White House deputy national security adviser Jonathan Finer said earlier that Washington believed the system would meet Kyiv’s needs.

Finer said the weapons the Ukrainians currently have failed to achieve some important goals. The rocket system would have a significant impact on the conflict in the south-eastern part of the country, where Russian troops are currently concentrated.

In addition to the rockets, officials said the new package includes ammunition, anti-fire radar, some air surveillance radars, additional Javelin, anti-tank missiles, and anti-armour weapons. Ukrainian officials have been turning to allies for a long-range missile system to turn the tide of the war, which has entered its fourth month.

When the US supplies Ukraine with advanced rocket boosters, Russia adds fuel to the fire. Finer said Biden had directly and publicly warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the consequences of any invasion of Ukraine.
“Russia did so by invading a sovereign state from its territory,” Finer said.

Thousands have been killed and millions displaced since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. As the US and its allies provide Ukraine with increasingly sophisticated weapons, Washington has discussed with Kyiv the dangers of escalation if it penetrates deep inside Russia, the US and diplomatic officials told Reuters.