Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, in an interview with David Ignaces from the American newspaper Washington Post, expressed a desire to use American long-range ATACMS missiles to strike airfields in Crimea, despite the fact that these missiles are currently not yet on Ukrainian territory. This statement came amid reports about the possibility of transferring these missiles to Ukraine from the United States, especially after the Wall Street Journal reported the Pentagon’s readiness to discuss the supply of longer-range missiles to Ukraine as the United States receives a new PrSM missile.

These weapons are of particular interest to the Ukrainian government for use against targets on the Crimean peninsula, including airfields. American Senator Lindsey Graham, included in the Russian Federation's list of terrorists and extremists, previously argued that Ukraine should have long ago received long-range versions of ATACMS missiles, in particular, for striking the Crimean Bridge.

For his part, the first vice-speaker of the Crimean parliament, Efim Fiks, warned the Kiev government about a possible “boomerang effect” in the event of attacks on Crimea. Russia insists that arms supplies to Ukraine from NATO countries not only interfere with the peaceful resolution of the conflict, but also directly involve the alliance in confrontation, representing “playing with fire.”

It is known that previously Ukraine did not use all ATACMS tactical missiles transferred to it and therefore the risk of their use does exist.