Ukraine in talks with allies about getting long-range missiles, Zelenskiy aide says - Reuters

Jan 28 (Reuters) - Expedited talks are nether mode among Kyiv and its allies astir Ukraine's requests for long-range missiles that it says are needed to forestall Russia from destroying Ukrainian cities, a apical adjutant to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said connected Saturday.

Ukraine has won promises of Western conflict tanks and is seeking combatant jets to propulsion backmost against Russian and pro-Moscow forces, which are dilatory advancing on portion of the beforehand line.

"To drastically trim the Russian army's cardinal limb - the artillery they usage contiguous connected the beforehand lines - we request missiles that volition destruct their depots," statesmanlike advisor Mykhailo Podolyak told Ukraine's Freedom tv network. He said connected the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula determination were much than 100 artillery warehouses.

"Therefore, firstly, negotiations are already nether way. Secondly, negotiations are proceeding astatine an accelerated pace," helium said without giving details.

Zelenskiy, speaking separately, said Ukraine wanted to preempt Russian attacks connected Ukrainian municipality areas and civilians.

"Ukraine needs long-range missiles ... to deprive the occupier of the accidental to spot its rocket launchers determination acold from the beforehand enactment and destruct Ukrainian cities," helium said successful an evening video address.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine needed the U.S.-made ATACMS missile, which has a scope of 185 miles (297km). Washington has truthful acold declined to supply the weapon.

Earlier successful the day, the Ukrainian aerial unit denied a paper study that it intended to get 24 combatant jets from allies, saying talks were continuing, Ukraine's Babel online outlet said.

Spain's El Pais newspaper, citing Ukrainian aerial unit spokesperson Yuri Ihnat, said Ukraine initially wanted 2 squadrons of 12 planes each, preferably Boeing F-16 jets.

But successful a connection to Babel, Ihnat said his comments to a media briefing connected Friday had been misinterpreted.

"Ukraine is lone astatine the signifier of negotiations regarding aircraft. Aircraft models and their fig are presently being determined," helium said.

Ihnat told the Friday briefing that F-16s mightiness beryllium the best enactment for a multi-role combatant to regenerate the country's existent fleet of ageing Soviet-era warplanes.

He besides told Ukrainian nationalist tv that allied nations did not similar nationalist speculation astir jets, Interfax Ukraine quality bureau said.

Deputy White House nationalist information advisor Jon Finer connected Thursday said United States would beryllium discussing the thought of supplying jets "very carefully" with Kyiv and its allies.

Germany's defence curate this week ruled out the thought of sending jets to Ukraine.

Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Cynthia Osterman

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