Ukraine’s “Victory Plan” Leaks! Zelensky is angry at the US over demand for Tomahawk missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the embattled country's need for long-range Tomahawk missiles from the United States in a video released on October 30. However, he criticized the US government for disclosing “confidential information.”

Zelensky reportedly spoke to Nordic journalists at a news conference and appeared angry that an unidentified U.S. official had leaked information about Kiev's request for the Tomahawk missile to the New York Times.

In the video of the interaction, which has now gone viral, Zelensky could be heard saying: “When many countries started supporting the victory plan, look what's happening now in the media – they said that Ukraine wanted a lot of missiles.” like tomahawks, etc. But it was confidential information – between Ukraine and the White House. How should these messages be understood?” He further added: “So this means that there are no confidential things between partners.”

The comments came a day after the NYT report was published on October 29. Citing anonymous US sources, the report revealed that Ukraine's demand for Tomahawk missiles with a range of 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) was part of Zelensky's victory plan.

According to the report, senior U.S. officials did not believe that the Ukrainian leadership had made a convincing argument for how it would use these long-range missiles to change the course of the conflict. In addition, the target list provided by Ukraine to the US exceeds the number of missiles the US military can spare for Kiev without compromising possible requirements for the Middle East and Asia, US officials said, quoted by NYT.

This has thrown Ukraine into turmoil. In fact, the negative information confused the senior Kiev authorities. “We know that the plan is realistic. The US’s own military investigated it and said it was realistic,” a Ukrainian official told POLITICO on condition of anonymity.

In addition, President Zelensky said Ukraine had asked for the missiles with the understanding that they would only be used if Russia failed to de-escalate and end the conflict. “I said this is a preventative method. “I was told that this was an escalation,” Zelensky said.

The five-stage victory plan was proposed by the President in response to Russian advances and tactical victories. The plan, which drew only a lukewarm response from NATO, includes steps that could end the war by 2025, including the use of long-range weapons to destroy military targets deep inside Russia.

Ukraine has long been appealing NATO allies for long-range missiles. The US has already armed the embattled country with the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).

The US is also reportedly considering equipping Ukraine with the long-range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM). However, Washington still has to authorize the use of its long-range weapons on Russian territory for fear of escalation with Moscow.

Russia has warned that the use of long-range missiles on its territory by NATO countries would be tantamount to entering war against Russia. As the report received widespread attention, experts and military observers noted that the Tomahawk's deployment was unlikely because it would almost certainly lead to escalation at a time when Russia had adopted a more belligerent posture.

However, Zelensky's reaction caused division on the Internet. Several pro-Ukrainian military bloggers and military experts criticized the US government for the unprecedented revelation, joking that it was likely the reason Ukraine kept its plans for the “Kursk Offensive” secret. Some others criticized the Biden administration for not doing enough to end the war, which is quickly approaching its third anniversary.

“What is the alternative to Ukraine’s ability to adequately undermine Russia’s ability to wage this war by targeting or disabling its key military facilities used against Ukraine? Given all these restrictions on Ukrainian use of Western weapons on Russian territory, what exactly should the West, especially the US, continue to wait for?” wrote Illia Ponomarenko on X.

In contrast, pro-Russian military bloggers and pundits mocked what they called “Zelenskyy’s meltdown.”

Tomahawk missiles could be game-changing?

Tomahawk cruise missiles are precision weapons that can precisely hit targets even in well-guarded skies.

The Tomahawk is a jet-powered, subsonic weapon that can evade air defenses by flying at very low altitudes and using specialized navigation systems. The Tomahawk's range varies between 250 and 1,550 miles depending on the model. Its ability to combine flexibility and deadly power is what makes it so extraordinary.

Experts believe that on the modern, dynamic battlefield, high-precision missiles that can eliminate a high-value target or concentration of soldiers and weapons while allowing course correction after firing are immensely beneficial.

Tomahawk cruise missiles can destroy buildings and leave blast craters up to 20 feet wide. They are powerful because they can carry a typical warhead that weighs about 1,000 pounds. The rocket comes in several variants, the most popular of which are Block III, Block IV and the newest variant, Block V.

A Block III has a 1,000 pound explosive/fragmentary unit warhead. For attacks on people or weapon systems outdoors, the Block III submunition version has a submunition compartment with cluster bomblets.

In contrast, the Block IV version has significantly improved capabilities. During flight, the operator can use a satellite communications system to reprogram the munitions to hit a predetermined target or a different set of coordinates.

The Block IV version has a built-in data link that allows for mid-flight target switching and allows it to hover for extended periods of time. Additionally, Block IV can not only assess combat damage to commanders, but also loiter over a target and hit targets of opportunity.

The Block V variant features next-generation technological advances that allow the weapon to attack moving ships at sea in flight, touching the sea surface outside the radar aperture that opponents can detect. It has enhanced communications and navigation capabilities, allowing commanders to adapt to changes in battlefield operations.

The missiles performed exceptionally well in combat. They were first used by the US in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The U.S. military also attacked al-Qaeda training centers in Afghanistan in a series of Tomahawk attacks. The missile was used extensively during the Kosovo War. More recently, Australia and Japan have acquired the missile as a deterrent against China.

The missile may have proven decisive against Russia. In fact, Russian military expert Alexander Ermakov, previously quoted in the Kommersant report, said that Tomahawks pose a threat to Russia as “their future use in Europe or their sale to American allies under the guise of anti-ship missiles” cannot be ruled out.