These are the long-range weapons with which Ukraine wants to win the war against Russia

Aid programs from its Western allies have been crucial in countering the Russian offensive. But the government insists that is not enough.

Throughout the two years in which it has spread the invasion of Russia In Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has stressed to his Western allies the need for more military resources. and economically to defeat the Kremlin troops.

The Ukrainian head of state also stressed that more permissions should be given to their forces, so that they can use certain arm This could change the course of war.

For their part, from Moscow, authorities such as President Vladimir Putin have warned that The use of Western long-range missiles on Russian territory could trigger a possible Third World War. .

The situation has increased international tensions, to the point that in late August 2024, the Kremlin’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov threatened to A major conflict would involve both Europe and the United States .

Ukrainian leaders frequently state that They need long-range missiles to counter the Russian offensive .

This term has no more precise military definition and your understanding has changed over time.

However, generally speaking, it is about a series of war tools capable of hitting targets at a distance .

Below is a guide with details on The weapons sent to Ukraine and elsewhere are among the largest projectiles in the world Currently.

What do the artillery pieces sent to Ukraine look like?

Following the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, U.S. government officials They used this term to refer to the artillery pieces sent to the country headed by Zelensky.

As saved by New York Times it was about some of the most ambitious of this type that they have in their arsenal.

Specifically, 155-millimeter howitzers capable of firing 45-kilogram projectiles aimed at targets located approximately 32 kilometers away .

Each of them contains about 11 kilos of explosives .

Since the outbreak of the conflict, the administration of President Joe Biden sent three million M795 artillery shells to Ukraine .

What do the artillery rockets sent to Ukraine look like?

A few months after the start of the war, Interest has focused on land weapons with a range greater than twice that compared to the previous ones.

This is where the United States’ High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, better known as the HIMARS .

It consists of a five-ton truck that usually carries six GMLRS rockets in its rear part.

They can launch explosive warheads about 90 kilos at 83 kilometers .

The first copies sent by the United States to Ukraine were announced on June 1, 2022. Since then and until more than two years after the start of the war, They sent more than 40 such trucks and thousands of GMLRS rockets .

HIMARS
These are the long-range weapons with which Ukraine wants to win the war against Russia. Photo: archive / The Ukrainian army fires a HIMARS system near the front line in the Kherson region, Ukraine.

What do the short-range ballistic missiles sent to Ukraine look like?

They can also be triggered by HIMARS systems and The best known in the United States are the ATACMS .

In April 2024, the State Department of that country announced the send missiles of this type to Ukraine .

They contain approximately 170 kilos of explosives and can hit targets about 300 kilometers away far, while they also fly higher than artillery rockets and fall faster.

More generally, ballistic missiles considered short-range can reach targets located between 70 and 990 kilometers .

What do medium and intermediate range ballistic missiles look like?

Although the United States developed missiles of both categories during the Cold War, finally got rid of it following the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed with the Soviet Union in December 1987.

The document envisaged a ban on land-based ballistic missiles with ranges between 310 and 3,400 miles, or approximately 498 to 5,470 kilometers .

Nevertheless, The treaty ended in 2019 after the United States accused Russia of using weapons that did not meet agreed conditions.

ATACMS
These are the long-range weapons with which Ukraine wants to win the war against Russia. Photo: File / U.S. and South Korean troops test an ATACMS system and the Hyunmoo II missile in the waters of the East Sea, off the coast of South Korea, July 5, 2017.

What do cruise missiles look like?

This agreement also contemplated cruise missiles. The best known of American origin is the Tomahawk. which the Air Force then adopted in an air-launched version and the Army in a land-launched version.

There are different versions of the Tomahawk, but Typically, they can hit targets about 1,600 kilometers away while carrying a conventional warhead. with an explosive power of 181 kilos of TNT.

Also, On the other hand, they have the possibility of carrying a more powerful thermonuclear device. explained the specialists to the aforementioned media.

Along with this, cruise missiles They usually have small wings on the sides which allow them to fly horizontally at low altitude.

Although there has been no public discussion about sending Tomahawk units to Ukraine, The United States is considering supplying another cruise missile called JASSM .

This one shoots from the air and stands out because it is smaller and stealthier .

Its most basic version contains the equivalent of about 108 kilos of TNT, while it can reach targets about 370 kilometers away far.

Anyway, the most advanced can reach 1,600 kilometers according to the Times.

What do intercontinental ballistic missiles look like?

They are also known as ICBMs (for their acronym in English) and They are designed to hit targets thousands of miles away .

Intercontinental ballistic missiless carry nuclear warheads and can be launched from underground silos or underwater submarines.

Its range can even reach more than 12,000 kilometers and its explosive power can be measured in hundreds of thousands of tons of TNT.

As the name suggests, can reach targets on the other side of the globe .

ICBMs are not included in Ukraine’s plans .

What do hypersonic weapons look like?

They are developed by world powers such as the United States, Russia and China .

They stand out because They promise to fly at five times the speed of sound. for its precision and effectiveness in evading the defense systems of attacked opponents.

Although there are short-range ballistic missiles that could reach a similar speed at the end of their flight,Hypersonics are characterized by the fact that they do it quickly and because they maintain during your trip.

According to information gathered by the American newspaper, the Pentagon is studying two types of supersonic weapons that couldThey lift as a warhead a solid piece of tungsten, a metal about 70% denser than lead. .

This type of weapons is also not taken into account in the Ukrainian defense plan. .

Source: Latercera

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