Pentagon Secretly Restricts Ukraine’s Use of U.S. Long-Range Missiles, WSJ Reports

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – The Pentagon has for months been blocking Ukraine’s use of U.S.-made long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia, sharply limiting Kyiv’s ability to employ one of its most powerful weapons against Moscow, according to an exclusive report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

U.S. officials told WSJ that a high-level Defense Department approval procedure–kept from public disclosure–has prevented Ukraine from firing Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, against Russian territory since late spring. On at least one occasion, Ukraine sought permission to use ATACMS against a target inside Russia but was denied, officials said.

The restriction, WSJ reported, has curbed Ukraine’s operational flexibility as the Trump administration pursues a diplomatic opening with the Kremlin. “President Trump has been very clear that the war in Ukraine needs to end. There has been no change in military posture in Russia-Ukraine at this time,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told WSJ. “Secretary Hegseth is working in lockstep with President Trump.”

The system was devised by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy, who created a “review mechanism” requiring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s approval before Kyiv can use ATACMS or other long-range systems reliant on U.S. intelligence. The mechanism also extends to Britain’s Storm Shadow cruise missile, which depends on American targeting data, according to U.S. and British officials who spoke to WSJ.

The restrictions effectively reverse President Joe Biden’s 2024 decision to allow Ukraine to strike inside Russia with ATACMS after North Korean troops joined Moscow’s war effort. While the Biden administration had authorized hundreds of the missiles, WSJ noted that Ukraine has only a small supply left.

In a recent social media post, Trump acknowledged Ukraine’s disadvantage. “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking the invading country”, he wrote. “There is no chance of winning!” But U.S. officials told WSJ the president’s comments did not signal an imminent policy shift.

The administration has instead focused on supplying Kyiv with other systems, such as air defenses and the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, which has a 90-mile range. This week, Washington approved an $850 million arms package–mainly funded by European nations–that includes 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition missiles. With ranges between 150 and 280 miles, these munitions will also fall under the Pentagon’s approval process, officials told WSJ.

Ukraine has turned to developing its own long-range weapons, deploying drones to hit Russian oil refineries and working on a new cruise missile, dubbed the Flamingo, that President Volodymyr Zelensky said could be produced at scale by early next year.

Former Pentagon NATO official James Townsend told WSJ that restricting ATACMS strikes could undercut Kyiv’s battlefield leverage. “You don’t want to limit the Ukrainian ability to put pressure on the Russians,” he said.

Meanwhile, Colby has tightened controls on all U.S. munitions destined for Ukraine, establishing a green-yellow-red categorization system to manage stockpiles. Systems marked “yellow” and “red” can be withheld or recalled, with Secretary Hegseth holding final authority, WSJ reported.

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