Why don't LTS distros consistently use/offer LTS kernels?

I've noticed that the default kernel selection for Ubuntu 22.04, for example, is Linux 5.15.0. Ubuntu 22.04 is a LTS release, which is supposed to have standard support until April 2027, and Linux 5.15 is also LTS supported until October 2026 - so there won't be too much of a gap there (and such gaps are apparently ordinary).

But while Ubuntu users who want to upgrade the kernel might have to choose their own version and do the work themselves, Linux Mint offers a fixed kernel upgrade for users who need it for newer hardware. Specifically, Linux Mint 21.x (based on Ubuntu 22.04) offers an upgrade to the 6.5 kernel - which is not an LTS release, and is already EOL since November 2023.

Since Mint is based exclusively on the LTS Ubuntu releases, why not use the 6.6 LTS kernel release instead? Then the kernel would be supported until December 2026, and the distro would only be on the hook for support for a few months until April 2027.

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Why don't LTS distros consistently use/offer LTS kernels?

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