Trump May Send Tomahawk Missiles To Ukraine: Here’s What They Are And Why Russia’s Worried

Last Updated:October 17, 2025, 08:48 IST

With a 2,500-km range and proven combat record, Tomahawks could transform Ukraine’s strike capabilities and force a recalculation in Moscow

Trump is expected to discuss the matter directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their White House meeting on Friday. (Image: AFP)

Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the war has become a grinding battle of attrition, fought not just on the front lines but in supply chains, skies, and international diplomacy. While Ukraine has received a broad spectrum of Western military support, its repeated calls for longer-range strike capabilities have met with hesitation.

That may now be changing.

US President Donald Trump has said he is considering providing Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, a weapon that could significantly expand Kyiv’s ability to strike deep inside Russian territory. Trump is expected to discuss the matter directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their White House meeting on Friday.

The move has already drawn sharp warnings from Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that arming Ukraine with Tomahawks would mark a “new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the US", while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the prospect of such a transfer was causing “extreme concern" in Moscow, according to Russian state TV.

So, what exactly are Tomahawks? Why does Ukraine want them? And why is Russia so alarmed?

What Are Tomahawk Missiles And Where Do They Come From?

Tomahawks are subsonic cruise missiles developed by the US in the 1970s. Powered by jet engines and equipped with precision navigation systems, they are designed to strike high-value land targets from long distances.

Initially built as a delivery system for nuclear warheads, the Tomahawk was developed in multiple configurations — air-launched, sea-launched, and land-based. While the nuclear variant was retired in 2013, conventional versions remain in active use.

The missile’s ability to fly at very low altitudes allows it to evade radar detection, while its range, depending on the variant, can stretch up to 2,500 kilometres. According to the Financial Times, Tomahawks carry warheads weighing around 450 kilograms and are typically launched from US Navy ships and submarines. However, land-based options exist, such as the US Army’s Typhon system or the Marine Corps’ Long-Range Fire Systems.

While the Tomahawk is not new, and was first used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War, it remains a cornerstone of America’s long-range strike capability. The US has used them extensively in conflicts in Iraq, Libya, Syria, and more recently, against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

How Many Tomahawks Does The US Have And How Many Could Ukraine Receive?

The exact number of Tomahawks in the US inventory is unclear. In 2023, The Heritage Foundation estimated that the US Navy held about 4,000 Tomahawk missiles, but that figure predated intensive strikes on Houthi targets. According to AP, 135 Tomahawks were launched during one such campaign alone.

At the same time, production has slowed. Pentagon budget documents cited by AP show that in 2023, only 68 new Tomahawks were purchased, and that number dropped further in subsequent years.

Given this, it remains uncertain how many missiles could realistically be sent to Ukraine. Mark Cancian, a former Pentagon official quoted by FT, estimated that “the US has about 4,150 Tomahawks" and would “probably be willing to part with hundreds."

Jim Townsend, a former US deputy assistant secretary of defence, said, “If we do give Tomahawks, it won’t be a huge batch, and that means that Zelenskyy will have to be very careful in terms of how he uses these."

Why Does Ukraine Want Tomahawks?

Zelenskyy has made no secret of his interest in acquiring long-range precision weapons. “We see and hear that Russia is afraid that the Americans may give us Tomahawks — that this kind of pressure may work for peace," the Ukrainian President said on Sunday.

He also stressed that the missiles would be used only against Russian military targets: “We never attacked their civilians. This is the big difference between Ukraine and Russia. That’s why, if we speak about long-range missiles, we speak only about military goals."

The Tomahawk would be the longest-range US weapon given to Ukraine to date, vastly exceeding the 190-mile range of the ATACMS missiles previously supplied. Zelenskyy and Ukrainian military experts believe the cruise missiles would allow them to target key Russian assets far beyond the front lines, from logistics hubs to arms factories.

Mykola Bielieskov, a fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kyiv, told FT that the weapon would enable “combined attacks and better destroy oil processing, military industrial complex, logistics and command and control."

The US-based Institute for the Study of War has also stated that Ukraine could use Tomahawks to strike high-value Russian military facilities such as the drone factory in Alabuga, Tatarstan, or the Engels-2 airbase in Saratov.

Why Is Russia Alarmed?

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly claimed that these missiles pose “no serious threat", he warned that such a move would represent a “qualitatively different escalation" in the war and in US-Russia relations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the possibility as a cause of “extreme concern", in comments aired on Russian state television.

Behind the official rhetoric lies a more practical concern. Tomahawk missiles are known for their ability to fly at low altitudes and evade radar, making them harder to intercept. Ukrainian disinformation expert Andriy Kovalenko told DW that “Russian [defense] systems covered Syrian targets at the time but failed [to down Tomahawks]," referring to the US strikes in Syria in 2017 and 2018. He noted that these cruise missiles are “especially effective when launched in salvos, as overloading air defences increases their success rate."

Systems like Russia’s S-400 and Pantsir, considered advanced by regional standards, have shown vulnerability to such coordinated attacks in the past.

This operational edge is precisely why Ukraine sees them as a potential game-changer.

Can Ukraine Actually Launch Them?

Traditionally, Tomahawks are launched from ships or submarines. Since Ukraine lacks such naval platforms, any deployment would depend on land-based launch systems.

The US Army has developed the Typhon Mid-Range Capability System, essentially a shipping container that can conceal and launch missiles vertically. First tested in 2023, the Typhon system was deployed to the Philippines, Australia and Japan in 2024. According to NYT, the Marine Corps’s Long-Range Fire System is another possible platform, and may be more readily available since it is being phased out.

Could Tomahawks Change The Course Of The War?

Analysts are divided. Some, like Bielieskov, say that a small supply would dilute their effect. “For proper effect, at least 100 missiles" would be needed per month, he told FT.

Others see their impact more as psychological and political. Former US ambassador to Ukraine John E. Herbst told DW, “Kremlin hysteria over a possible delivery of these weapons to Ukraine shows it could influence Putin’s policies."

Tomahawks, by themselves, may not be a silver bullet. But combined with Ukraine’s existing long-range drone capabilities and its Western-backed military infrastructure, they could send a powerful signal.

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...

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