According to The Washington Post, citing a Ukrainian military officer, the United States stopped providing coordinates for ATACMS missile strikes over the past month.
This disruption prevents Ukraine from targeting locations more than 60 kilometers beyond the front lines, the newspaper said on Wednesday.
Impact on Ukraine’s battlefield operations
The Wall Street Journal and The Economist reported that the intelligence cutoff also affected GMLRS-guided rockets, which have a range of up to 70 kilometers.
The WSJ's chief foreign-affairs correspondent, Yaroslav Trofimov, said: "HIMARS GMLRS targeting in Ukraine has been disabled by the Trump administration."
The Economist's Ollie Carroll wrote that at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the United States severed a critical intelligence link used for early warnings of Russian missile strikes.
While Ukraine has limited stocks of ATACMS missiles, The Washington Post noted that the inability to use them allows Russia to reposition its supply lines and weaponry closer to the front, facilitating its logistics and offensive operations.
It remains unclear how long the intelligence-sharing freeze will last.
US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Washington is “reviewing all aspects” of its relationship with Ukraine. He added, however, that discussions with Kyiv about future peace talks were ongoing.
Some analysts warn that the decision could also impact US defense industry interests, as allies may reconsider purchasing American-made weapons if they fear Washington could later restrict their use.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP