US did not provide “specific targeting information” for Russian warship, Pentagon says

When Ukraine efficiently focused Russia’s prized warship final month with anti-ship cruise missiles, they’d some assist from america.  

Ukrainian forces, having noticed a Russian warship within the Black Sea, referred to as their American contacts for affirmation that it was the truth is the Moskva, sources acquainted with the occasions informed CNN. The US responded that it was, and offered intelligence about its location.

It’s not clear whether or not the US knew Ukraine would transfer to strike the ship, nonetheless, and the US was not concerned in that call, the sources stated. 

The ship sank after it was struck by two Ukrainian cruise missiles on April 14, dealing an enormous blow to the Russian army.

The episode, first reported by NBC Information, displays the Biden administration’s more and more forward-leaning posture in relation to sharing intelligence with Ukraine, a part of a broader coverage shift towards serving to Ukraine defeat Russia decisively on the battlefield and considerably weaken its army. 

However it additionally raises questions on what each the US and Russia’s crimson traces are in relation to US army assist to Ukraine.  

The US has for months been offering Ukrainian forces with intelligence about Russian troop actions inside Ukraine, together with intercepted communications about Russian army planning. It additionally supplies Ukraine with maritime consciousness data to permit them to higher perceive the risk posed by Russian ships within the Black Sea, a lot of that are firing missiles onto Ukrainian territory. 

There are additionally clear limits, nonetheless, to what the US will share, a number of sources informed CNN. 

For instance, the US has thus far declined to offer data to Ukraine about potential targets inside Russia itself. And whereas the intelligence the US shares about Russian troop actions inside Ukraine can embody particulars like automobiles and forms of personnel at a specific location, the US has not offered Ukraine with intelligence about particular Russian army leaders’ whereabouts, officers have stated.  

“We don’t present intelligence on the placement of senior army leaders on the battlefield or take part within the focusing on choices of the Ukrainian army,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby informed reporters on Thursday. Kirby added that “Ukraine combines data that we and different companions present with the intelligence that they themselves are gathering on the battlefield, after which they make their very own choices, they usually take their very own actions.”