The US has decided to supply Ukraine with significantly longer-range ammunition. That could change the course of the war again. Military expert Mick Ryan explains why this could become a big problem for Russia.
The US will now supply longer-range artillery ammunition to Ukraine after all. The Washington Post reports, citing the Pentagon. Accordingly, the USA will deliver GLSD bombs (ground-launched small diameter bombs) to Ukraine. These have a range of around 150 kilometers and are about twice as far as the previous ammunition of the Himars rocket launchers.
The US hesitated for a long time, worried that the Ukrainians could attack Russian territory with this ammunition. But before Putin’s announced next major offensive, the Americans now want to equip the Ukrainians as best they can. As the Washington Post writes, the munitions will enable Ukrainians to attack Russian command posts, ammunition depots and supply lines far into the occupied territories.
This is also emphasized by the Australian military expert Mick Ryan in a short analysis on Twitter. He writes: “This is a key to making the Russian offensive significantly more difficult. These weapons allow the Ukrainians to shoot much deeper into Russian territory.” Russia has recently adapted well to the dangers posed by Himar rocket launchers and has changed its supply lines, writes the ex-general.
But now there are several problems for the Russian units, according to Ryan:
Ryan adds an image to his post showing how the range is changing. The bright red part is already in the sights of the Ukrainians. With the delivery of the new ammunition, the dark red area can also be attacked.
Ryan writes: “That doesn’t put Ukraine in a position to pose a threat to Crimea. But should the Ukrainians be able to retake their territories in the south, then they could also attack the Russian-held peninsula.”
Ryan concludes, “This is a very positive development. These weapons will have an effect.” There is only one limitation: the GLSD bombs were not produced in as large a number as the ammunition previously supplied.
