A map of Ukraine where red is the area taken by Russia and Blue is the area reclaimed by Ukraine. Alivia Nicodemus in the top left corner.
The U.S. approves the firing of long-range ballistic missiles into Russia, which may have an immense impact on the war. Along with this, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, to be used.
Previously throughout this war, Russia has fired many missiles into Ukraine, but Ukraine’s supporters have blocked retaliation. Now, the U.S. as well as many other countries have approved the use of long-range missiles that will have a decisive effect, whether for good or bad. These missiles can travel up to 190 miles, fly much higher than normal missiles are therefore harder to block, and carry 375 pounds of explosives. Also, these missiles are extremely accurate, they will land only 30 feet away from the target!
These missiles have created a major controversy, both in and outside Ukraine. Many are excited about the potential benefit these missiles could have against the joint Russian and North Korean armies. Long-range missiles could give Ukraine the edge it needs to win the war and repel Russia from its lands. However, there are also some downsides to these missiles. Freshman Alivia Nicodemus said, “Long-range missiles contain loads of explosives and can travel really far, so if one was to malfunction it could go astray and hit a city. The potential loss of hundreds of lives is a major concern for countries opposing the use of these missiles.”
Major oppositionists such as Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Junior, have claimed, “The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War III going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives.” While these views of Biden are very extreme, many others have major concerns about furthering the war instead of encouraging peace. Another major concern of many people is the cost of funding these missiles. Each missile fired costs the U.S. one and a half million dollars, so extended use could push debt levels even higher.
The ballistic missiles are just one of the newer strategies Ukraine is using, including drones and robot dogs. Whether these ballistic missiles continue to be used or not, the U.S. and much of the world backs up Ukraine and we must hope they can make it through the war whole.
