Long-range ground and air-based weapons could significantly change the course of the war in Ukraine. Thanks to powerful missiles Ukrainian servicemen could destroy important enemy targets in a short period of time.

We are talking primarily about ATACMS missiles, which would be extremely difficult for the occupants to intercept by air defense means. About this in an exclusive interview with OBOZREVATEL told military expert, reserve colonel Petro Chernik.

According to him, there have been recent discussions about Germany's transfer of Taurus cruise missiles. Chernik noted that Germany has no more than 150 such missiles, according to preliminary data.

"It would be good to have them in Ukraine. Some large warehouses, large command posts, transformer substations, railroad tracks - it would be useful to use these missiles for these purposes. But in such a quantity, these weapons still do not change the course of the war," the expert explained.

At the same time, he added that the course of the war can change a huge number of long-range airborne missiles, in particular, AGM-158 with a range of 980 kilometers. The military expert emphasized that these missiles can be launched from F-16 fighters. At the same time, the Americans have more than 5 thousand AGM-158s in service. According to Chernik, even 500 such missiles would be a significant step in strengthening the Ukrainian army.

However, Chernik added that ATACMS could be the most effective missile in destroying enemy targets. According to him, the AGM-158 is a subsonic missile, which is much easier to intercept by air defense systems. In addition, to launch several such missiles, it is necessary to maintain a fighter aircraft, and this takes quite a lot of time.

Unlike air-launched missiles, several truckloads of ATACMS missiles can launch a salvo in a matter of minutes.

"The Americans have more than four thousand ATACMS in storage. If they gave us a thousand, we'd grind down everything there is to grind down in a few weeks. But here we are dealing with big politics, we won't change the Americans. They have their own view of the course of this war. We have been dancing around this issue for a year, but the wagon is still standing there," Chernik said.

We shall remind you that German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in no hurry to make a decision on providing Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles. The head of the German government is afraid that the Ukrainian troops will begin to use this weapon to strike the territory of the aggressor country Russia.

Earlier it was reported that the White House continues to "quietly debate" whether to transfer ATACMS ballistic missiles to Ukraine. This topic gained new urgency after France at the NATO summit in Vilnius announced the transfer of its analog of the British Storm Shadow - SCALP missiles.

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