These missiles, known as ATACMS, have a striking distance of up to 300 kilometers (190 miles), doubling Ukraine's previous range.

The US is providing more of these missiles in a new military aid package signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

Biden approved the delivery of these missiles in February and included them in a $300 million aid package in March.

Two US officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the US has recently delivered long-range missiles to Ukraine as part of a $1 billion aid package.

The exact number of missiles delivered was not disclosed.

Ukraine has been facing increased Russian attacks and has been rationing its weapons.

The long-range missiles are crucial for Ukraine as they allow Ukrainian forces to strike Russian targets from a safe distance.

The delivery was kept secret due to concerns that Ukraine might use the missiles to attack deep into Russian territory, potentially escalating the conflict.

Despite these concerns, the missiles had already been delivered before lawmakers and others called for their dispatch.

The US sent mid-range weapons with a 100-mile range to Ukraine in October instead of longer-range options due to careful consideration of the risks of escalating the conflict with Russia.

Adm. Christopher Grady, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that these weapons will help Ukraine target Russian logistics and troop concentrations not on the front lines.

He declined to identify the specific weapons but assured they would be effective if used properly.

The administration weighed the potential risks before making the decision to provide these weapons.

The US is providing long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for use against targets within Ukrainian territory, according to US officials.

The decision was made due to the current situation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly acknowledged the importance of long-range capabilities, including artillery and air defense, in restoring peace.

Ukrainian officials have not publicly acknowledged the receipt or use of these specific missiles.

The Biden administration warned Russia last year that if Moscow armed Ukraine with long-range ballistic missiles, the US would respond by providing the same capability to Kyiv.

Russia obtained some of these missiles from North Korea and used them in Ukraine, leading the US to approve the supply of long-range missiles to Ukraine.

The US had not confirmed the transfer until the missiles were used in battle and Ukrainian leaders approved the public announcement.

The missiles were reportedly used last week to strike a military airfield in Crimea and an area east of Berdyansk.

Videos of the explosions circulated on social media, but US officials would not confirm the use of the ATACMS missiles at the time.

Ukraine, facing a delay in the approval of a $95 billion foreign aid package in Congress, had been rationing its artillery and air defense systems due to acute shortages.

With the war in its third year, Russia took advantage of the delay in US weapons deliveries and its own superior firepower and personnel to intensify attacks across eastern Ukraine.

Russia has been using satellite-guided gliding bombs, which can be dropped from planes from a safe distance, to bombard Ukrainian forces.

The mid-range and some long-range missiles provided to Ukraine last year and more recently contain cluster munitions that release hundreds of bomblets upon impact instead of a single warhead.

The US is sending older ATACMS missiles with single warheads to Ukraine.

The decision to provide these weapons was influenced by the Army's capability to replace them with new Precision Strike Missiles.

The Army is currently purchasing the new missiles, making it easier for them to provide the older ATACMS to Ukraine.