US officials are asking the war-torn nation to clearly outline its combat objectives for requesting expanded use of US-supplied long-range missiles.

Ukraine has stated that it plans to use the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which has a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles), to strike Russian airfields, command centers, and weapons depots deep in enemy territory.

President Joe Biden’s administration currently allows Kyiv to use the weapon only for strikes within Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine.

US officials remain skeptical that lifting the restrictions would have a significant impact on the war, noting that it may also come with greater risks.

Growing Pressure

The US has been facing increasing pressure from NATO allies to allow Kyiv greater freedom to hit targets inside Russia to level the battlefield.

Moscow’s forces have been using long-range aircraft, missiles, and drones to attack Ukraine, quickly gaining the upper hand in the ongoing war.

Washington has expressed concerns that doing so would further escalate the war and allow Russia to reverse-engineer some of America’s most sophisticated weapons.

It has also argued that the Ukrainian military is already using long-range drones to strike deep into Russia, which is a cheaper and more strategic method than firing costly missiles.

Additionally, the White House downplayed the capabilities of its ATACMS, stating they would be ineffective now because Moscow has likely moved its most immediate threats to facilities beyond the missile’s range.

“I don’t believe one capability is going to be decisive, and I stand by that comment,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin affirmed.

Russian Warning

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any strikes using Western weapons deep inside its territory will lead to a significant change in the nature of the conflict.

He said such a move would be viewed as an escalation of the war, making the US and its NATO allies directly involved.

“And if this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us,” Putin told reporters.

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Kyiv is developing a range of long-range weapons to strike deep inside Russian territory, including the Palanytsia rocket drone unveiled last month.

“This is a huge support that will help Ukraine defend itself even more effectively,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said after the inauguration of the Lithuanian-Ukrainian Defense Industry Business Forum in Kyiv.

He added that Lithuania contributed 2 percent of its GDP to Ukraine’s defense and intends to continue supporting Kyiv with an annual contribution of 0.25 percent of its GDP.

“I thanked the Lithuanian people for their support and called on businesses to actively invest in the Ukrainian defense industry,” Umerov said.

One of Three Options

Earlier on Monday, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said that investing in Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities is one of three options to help the country against Russia, along with giving it the capabilities or lifting long-range strike restrictions against Russia.

Investing in Ukrainian capabilities includes purchasing weapons from Ukrainian manufacturers and transferring them to Kyiv or helping Ukraine acquire those weapons, Kasciunas added.

Palanytsia Rocket Drone

The Palanytsia rocket drone blends the features of both rockets and drones, including a turbojet engine with a thrust of 43 kilograms (95 pounds).

It has a 20-kilogram (44 pounds) blast fragmentation warhead and an assumed range “between 500 and 700 kilometers (310-435 miles),” according to Leonardo Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis Federico Borsari.

Moreover, the Palianytsia can be launched from a ground platform and is considered cheaper to operate than other comparable weapons.

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