The battle should not be in DC – it’s time to break the back of the Russian army in Ukraine

Anxiety has been building up here in Ukraine recently amid the tense spectacle around the House Speaker seat.

As multiple nominees were put forward, the only thing that the people in Ukraine were focused on was their previous record on Ukraine assistance issues. It’s quite understandable, as it’s hard to grasp from across the ocean all the peculiarities of democratic processes that sometimes may seem confusing even for my fellow Americans. The confusion works both ways.  

Still, while lawmakers do their thing in Washington, trying to figure out the most efficient way to proceed back to normal legislative activity, I believe the main focus should remain with what can be done on the Ukrainian battlefield to defeat the Russians. Surprisingly, this increased scrutiny should give more clarity. And both Rs and Ds can realize the war can be won much more efficiently for taxpayers.   

It can be won with as little U.S. investment as possible given the already apparent top quality performance by Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

In the end, most Republicans want Ukraine to win. Most Democrats want the same. Indeed, there are some fringe elements on both sides who do not support Ukraine. But those minorities must not be allowed to control either their party or the general agenda. 

Also, President Biden has enough power to help Ukraine push back the Russians this year.

Cluster munitions are the key to winning this war.  

The administration has already crossed over the threshold of cluster munitions. They have provided short range 155mm artillery shells that are cluster munitions approved July 7. They have approved long-range cluster ATACMS in limited numbers 90 days later, and this delivery proved really efficient – with only a dozen or so rockets hitting two enemy airfields and destroying two dozen Russian attack helicopters.

So they approved the shortest and longest range. And both proved themselves incredibly effective.  

Now it’s time to approve the shorter-range cluster rockets – M26 and m26A1 – and donate them in unlimited quantities until ultimate victory. These rockets use the same M-series cluster munitions as the ones already provided.  

But we have *tens of thousands* of these – and they are all scheduled to be disposed! So they have $0 book value to US Congress!   

But they remain effective in combat. Tremendously.

This war will be over soon if the administration approved the delivery of 400 pods, which is just 2,400 rockets. There are roughly 200 front line Russian battalions.   

But that’s 12 rockets per front line Russian battalion. The war can be over soon.  

That is what is needed.

The M39 cluster missiles fired from the M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS has already “won the headlines” with the massive long range strikes against Russian-controlled airfields in occupied parts of Ukraine. But the workhorse of American artillery is the M26/M26a1 shorter range cluster rockets. The long range in small quantities will keep “winning the headlines”, while the shorter range in large quantities will “win the war. “

The Biden administration should immediately ship 400 pods of M26/M26a1 to the Ukrainian HIMARS crews. And I should say these are arguably the world’s best HIMARS crews. They will be accurately firing these rockets into confirmed enemy positions and the Russians simply have no cure against those.

The Russian army simply cannot survive in Ukraine if the U.S. approves the deliveries.

These rockets are extremely accurate and they are also referred to as “area weapons,” capable of hitting a target 45km away within a few meters. They burst in the air and scatter 512 or 644 submunitions depending on a model. So 200 Russian battalions being hit by 12 rockets each would be 6,000 submunitions per battalion of roughly 500-1,000 soldiers.

We know precisely where all Russian battalions are located, and naturally, the Ukrainians do, too.

This would destroy all fuel and ammo depots, annihilate their tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery, vehicles, and generators, and cause massive casualties, which would destroy the invaders’ morale even further.  And most importantly, it will end the suffering of the Ukrainian people who are the innocent victims of the Russian invaders. 

Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know what they are talking about. I was the advisor who advocated cluster artillery shells and rockets in July 2022 to both General Zaluzhnyi and General Milley. And with both the 155mm DPICM and Himars Atacms M39 cluster- both proved true.   

We are only a few political decisions away and within weeks the Ukrainian artillery could break the back of the Russian army in Ukraine.

Those 400 pods is a very small number for the logistical capabilities currently available. That’s fewer than a hundred 18-wheelers.

Common sense and my extensive experience tell me it’s the right thing to do. And this should be done as soon as possible. Ukraine must win this war. Soon. Russia must always remember that trying to alter anyone's borders by force will ultimately end in a disaster for the Kremlin.

Other dictators must see the cost Russia will bear and this will hopefully slow down the flywheel of global instability.

Cluster munitions are the best way to deter an aggressor’s invasion.   

Congress should stop the destruction of all cluster munitions, conduct an After Action Review, provide the full array of clusters to Estonia, Latvia,Poland, Taiwan, South Korea and stategically communicate to their enemies that any invasion will face cluster munitions.

Dan Rice is a former special advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Valerii Zaluzhnyi and currently President of the American University Kyiv

*Views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the position of Ukrinform