News brief

Ukraine launches first long-range missiles. Ukraine has begun using long-range ballistic missiles, striking a Russian military airfield in Crimea and Russian troops in another occupied area, U.S. officials say. The strikes come about a month after the United States secretly provided the weapons so Ukraine could strike targets up to 190 miles away. The delivery of the Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, was approved by President Joe Biden in February. In March the U.S. included a “significant” number of them in a $300 million aid package announced and more will be provided in the latest aid package.

America’s allies see Washington’s resumption of military aid to Ukraine as a sign that it is still ready to play a global leader’s role. But the debate before the aid vote revealed a less certain message.