Ukraine Testing Weapons With Range Longer Than Biden Willing to Provide

Ukraine is actively testing new weapons that have a longer range than President Joe Biden said he was willing to provide, amid the country's ongoing war with Russia.

On Friday, the Kyiv Independent reported that a Ukrainian defense company, Ukroboronprom, announced that it had completed testing of a long-range drone.
"As reported, at the beginning of December, Ukroboronprom was informed about successful tests of a Ukrainian strike drone with a range of more than a thousand kilometers," the company said in a translated statement. According to the Kyiv Independent, the long-range drone will also be able to carry a payload of up to 75 kilograms or roughly 165 pounds.

The news from the Ukrainian Defense company comes amid Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia. Throughout the war, the U.S. and other Western nations have continued to supply Ukraine with military and economic aid.

The U.S. has sent dozens of defense packages to Ukraine which have included HIMARS and a Patriot air defense system. However, Biden previously said that he would not send missiles that could easily reach Russia to Ukraine.

"We're not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that strike into Russia," Biden said in May, Reuters reported.

In August, the U.K. Ministry of Defence announced that it was sending more multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Ukraine. According to a statement, the MLRS have a range of around 80 kilometers.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned the U.S. against sending longer-range weapons to Ukraine in September.

"If Washington decides to supply longer-range missiles to Kyiv, then it will be crossing a red line, and will become a direct party to the conflict," she said.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also made similar comments in September, saying, "We are warning the U.S. against making provocative steps, such as deliveries of longer-range and more devastating weapons," the Associated Press reported.

"We have repeatedly warned the U.S. about the consequences that may follow if the U.S. continues to flood Ukraine with weapons," Ryabkov said, according to the AP. "It effectively puts itself in a state close to what can be described as a party to the conflict."

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a "3 billion package of military capabilities," in an effort to assist Ukraine in its war against Russia, which includes dozens of different weapons and defense mechanisms, such as howitzer missiles and anti-tank missiles.

"These capabilities will complement and work with the expanded U.S.- led training beginning this month that will build Ukraine's capacity to conduct joint maneuver and combined operations," deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, Laura Cooper said in a statement.

Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Department of Defense for comment.