US to provide Ukraine with intelligence for attacks on Russian energy infrastructure

NEW YORK - The United States will provide Ukraine with intelligence for missile attacks on Russian energy infrastructure deep inside Russia, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing sources. U.S. officials are asking NATO allies for similar support. The U.S. is also considering supplying Tomahawk missiles and Barracuda munitions to Ukraine, although a final decision has not yet been made.

According to a WSJ report cited by Reuters, this is the first time the United States has approved such assistance for long-term strikes deep into Russian territory on energy targets. President Donald Trump recently signed an authorization that allows U.S. intelligence agencies and the Pentagon to share data on targets in Russia. Specifically, they are targeting refineries, power plants, pipelines and other key facilities that support Russia's war.

This support represents a shift in the policy of the Trump administration, which had previously sought peace talks, but after unsuccessful meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky decided to step up support for Kiev.

U.S. officials, according to sources, are asking NATO allies to provide similar intelligence assistance to Ukraine, which would expand international coordination. The move comes at a time when the Trump administration is considering the delivery of long-range weapons that would allow Ukraine to hit a wider range of Russian targets. Among them are Tomahawk missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, which would allow attacks as far away as Moscow if launched from Ukrainian territory.

Another option is the Barracuda munition with a range of around 800 kilometres. Ukraine has already developed its own long-range Flamingo missile with a payload of up to one tonne, but production is at an early stage and quantities are limited.

The Russian side reacted sharply to the news. Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzia said Moscow will find an answer if the US supplies Kiev with Tomahawk missiles. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier this week that the issue of Tomahawk deliveries is not final and the Kremlin believes that even deploying them in Ukraine would not change the military situation.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added today that the Russian military is analyzing the possibility of supplying these missiles and warned against "rapid escalation". He said no weapons, including Tomahawks, can change the dynamics on the front, where Russian forces are slowly advancing in eastern Ukraine. In addition, the Russian parliamentary defense committee suggested that U.S. specialists helping with the launches would become legitimate targets.

These developments come in the context of a deteriorating situation on the front, where Russia has launched record attacks with more than 800 drones and missiles in recent weeks, reducing the success of Ukraine's air defenses. Ukraine's deputy defence minister Ivan Havrilyuk in an interview with the BBC, stressed that long-term weapons could force Moscow to negotiate peace by raising the cost of war. In contrast, the Kremlin says no "panacea" will change the situation for Kiev.

The news sparked a lively reaction on social media. A US military expert John Spencer on Platform X (formerly Twitter) noted that this intelligence includes satellite imagery, signals intelligence, and terrain maps, which would greatly enhance Ukraine's capabilities. Other users, such as WSJ journalist Juan Forero, confirmed that this was exclusive information from US sources. On the other hand, a Russian analyst on X warned that such moves could lead to a wider conflict, including attacks on NATO facilities.

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