Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alluded to the embattled nation’s need for long-range Tomahawk missiles from the United States in a video published on October 30. However, he slammed the US administration for disclosing the “confidential information.”
Zelenskyy was reportedly speaking at a press briefing with Nordic journalists, where he appeared to be furious that an unknown US official passed on information about Kyiv’s request for the Tomahawk missile to The New York Times.
In the video of the interaction that has now gone viral, Zelenskyy could be heard saying: “When a lot of countries began to support the victory plan, you see what’s going on now in media – they said that Ukraine wanted a lot of missiles, like Tomahawks, etc. But it was confidential information – between Ukraine and the White House. How to understand these messages?” He further added: “So it means between partners – there are no any confidential things.”
The comments came a day after the NYT report was published on October 29. Citing anonymous US sources, the report revealed that Ukraine’s request for 2,400-kilometer (1,500-mile)-range Tomahawk missiles was part of Zelenskyy’s Victory Plan.
As per the report, the top US officials did not believe Ukrainian leadership had presented a compelling argument for how they would use these long-range missiles to change the course of the conflict. Additionally, the target list given by Ukraine to the U.S. exceeded the number of missiles the U.S. military could spare for Kyiv without jeopardizing possible requirements for the Middle East and Asia, said the US officials quoted by NYT.
This has left Ukraine fuming. In fact, the negative trickle of information perplexed senior Kyiv authorities. “We know the plan is realistic. U.S. own military studied it and said it is realistic,” a Ukrainian official told POLITICO on the condition of anonymity.
Moreover, President Zelenskyy said Ukraine asked for the missiles with the understanding that it would only use them if Russia failed to de-escalate and cease the conflict. “I said that this is a preventive method. I was told that it is an escalation,” Zelensky said.
The five-step Victory Plan has been proposed by the President in response to Russian advances and tactical victories. The plan, which has received a lukewarm reaction from NATO, contains steps that could end the war by 2025, including the use of long-range weapons to obliterate military targets deep inside Russia.
Ukraine has long appealed to its NATO allies for long-range missiles. The US has already armed the embattled country with the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).
According to reports, the US is also contemplating providing Ukraine with the long-range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM). However, Washington has yet to authorize the use of its long-range weapons on Russian territory for fear of escalation with Moscow.
Russia has warned that the use of long-range missiles on its territory given by NATO countries would be tantamount to entering war against Russia. As the report gained widespread traction, experts and military watchers noted that the transfer of the Tomahawk was unlikely because it would almost certainly cause escalation at a time when Russia has taken a more belligerent posture.
Zelenskyy’s reaction, nevertheless, left the internet divided. Several pro-Ukrainian military bloggers and military experts lambasted the US administration for the unprecedented leak, quipping that this is likely the reason why Ukraine kept its plans for the ‘Kursk Offensive’ under wraps. Some others criticized the Biden Administration for not doing enough to end the war that is fast approaching its third anniversary.
“What’s the alternative to Ukraine’s ability to properly undermine Russia’s ability to fight this war by targeting or rendering unusable its key military facilities used against Ukraine? What exactly should the West, particularly the U.S., go on waiting for, with all those limitations on the Ukrainian use of Western weapons on Russian territory?” wrote Illia Ponomarenko on X.
In contrast, pro-Russian military bloggers and experts mocked what they called “Zelenskyy’s meltdown.”
Tomahawk Missiles Could Be Game-Changers?
Tomahawk cruise missiles are precision weapons that can hit targets with accuracy, even in well-guarded skies.
The Tomahawk is a subsonic, jet-powered weapon that can bypass air defenses by flying at very low altitudes and using specialized navigation systems. The Tomahawk’s range varies from 250 to 1,550 miles depending on the model. Its ability to combine flexibility and lethal power is what makes it so exceptional.
Experts reckon that on the modern, dynamic battlefield, highly precise missiles that can eliminate a high-value target or a concentration of soldiers and weaponry while still allowing for course correction after the shot has been fired are immensely advantageous.
Tomahawk cruise missiles can destroy buildings, leaving up to 20-foot-wide blast craters. They are powerful because they can transport a typical warhead that weighs about 1,000 pounds. The missile comes in several variants, the most popular of which are Block III, Block IV, and the latest, Block V.
A Block III features a 1,000-pound blast/fragmentary unitary warhead. For attacks against people or weapon systems in the open, the Block III Submunition version has a submunition compartment with cluster bomblets.
In contrast, the Block IV version has much-improved capabilities. During flight, the operator can use a satellite communications system to reprogram the munition to hit a predetermined target or another set of coordinates.
The Block IV version features an integrated datalink that enables target switching during flight and allows it to hover for an extended period. Furthermore, in addition to assessing battle damage for commanders, Block IV can loiter over a target and hit targets of opportunity.
The Block V variant has next-generation technological advancements that allow the weapon to attack moving ships at sea while flying, hugging the ocean surface beyond the radar aperture of what opponents can detect. It features enhanced communications and navigation capabilities and enables commanders to adapt to changes in battlefield operations.
The missiles have demonstrated exceptional performance in combat. They were first used by the US in Iraq during ‘Operation Desert Storm’ in 1991. The US military also attacked Al Qaeda training centers in Afghanistan with a series of Tomahawk strikes. The missile was extensively used during the Kosovo War. In recent times, Australia and Japan have acquired the missile as a stand-off capability aimed at building deterrence against China.
The missile may have proved to be a game-changer against Russia. In fact, Russian military expert Alexander Ermakov, quoted in the Kommersant report earlier, said Tomahawks threaten Russia as “one cannot rule out their future deployment in Europe or their sale to American allies under the guise of anti-ship (missiles).”
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