US intelligence helped Ukraine sink Russian warship in Black Sea

When Ukraine successfully attacked Russia’s warship last month with cruise missiles, it enlisted some help from the United States.

Ukrainian forces, upon sighting a Russian warship in the Black Sea, called on their American contacts to confirm that it was indeed the Moskva, sources told CNN . The US then replied yes and provided information about its location.

It is unclear whether the US knew that Ukraine would attack the ship, and was not involved in that decision, the sources said.

The Moskva sank after being hit by two Ukrainian missiles on April 14, a major blow to Russian forces.

The episode reflects the Biden administration’s increasingly advanced stance when it comes to sharing intelligence with Ukraine, part of a broader policy shift to help the country defeat Russia on the battlefield and significantly weaken its military.

But it also raises questions about what the limits of the US and Russia are when it comes to military support for Ukraine.

The US has been providing Ukrainian forces with information about Russian troop movements inside Ukraine for months, including intercepted communications about Russian military planning.

However, there are also clear limits to the information shared, multiple sources told CNN . For example, the US has so far refused to provide Ukraine with information about potential targets within Russia itself.

And while information about Russian troop movements within Ukraine may include details such as vehicles and types of personnel at a specific location, the US has not provided details on the whereabouts of specific Russian military leaders, officials said.

“We do not provide information on the location of high-ranking military leaders on the battlefield or participate in the Ukrainian military’s targeting decisions,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters Thursday. .