Pentagon vetoes Ukraine missile strikes

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon quietly vetoed Ukraine's use of US-made ATACMS long-range missiles against targets inside Russia. Since spring 2025, any request for use requires approval from US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, effectively limiting Ukraine's attacks.

Dependence on US Technology

The report noted that not only ATACMS but also the SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles, a joint French-British production that rely on US intelligence, are subject to similar restrictions. While MBDA, the manufacturer, is striving to make these systems independent of US export controls, the missiles require classified US mapping data for TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) navigation. It emphasizes that without this data, the missiles would have to rely solely on GPS and inertial systems, creating a vulnerability to Russian electronic warfare systems.

Political Framework

The restrictions in question represent a retreat from the attacks partially authorized by the Biden administration at the end of 2024. Then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, who called the decision "idiotic" before taking office, tightened controls after taking office, aiming to draw Moscow to the negotiating table.

New Weapon Packages and Local Solutions

Ukraine's ATACMS stockpile is also reported to have diminished after shipments in the spring of 2025. It was noted that Washington recently approved the delivery of 3,350 ERAM-type missiles with a range of 400 kilometers, mostly financed by Europe, but these systems will be subject to the same approval mechanism.

In response, the Kiev government is accelerating its own weapons development projects. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the Ukrainian-made Flamingo missiles have a range of 3,000 kilometers and could enter mass production in early 2026.