The administration of US President Joe Biden has approved Ukraine’s use of US-made long-range missiles to target deep inside Russia. This decision is not only a move that could change the course of the war but also a step that could increase global tensions. While Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomed the decision, harsh warnings from Russia are increasing concerns that the conflict could escalate into World War III.
US sources have confirmed that Washington has approved Ukraine’s use of US-made long-range missiles to target deep inside Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the decision, but senior Russian officials warned that the move could trigger World War III.
President Biden has authorized the first use of US-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine for strikes inside Russia, US officials said.
The weapons are likely to be initially employed against Russian and North Korean troops in defense of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of western Russia, the officials said.
Mr. Biden’s decision is a major change in US policy. The choice has divided his advisers, and his shift comes two months before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office, having vowed to limit further support for Ukraine.
Allowing the Ukrainians to use the long-range missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, came in response to Russia’s surprise decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight, officials said.
According to CBS News the American media, US President Joe Biden has given Ukraine permission to target Russia with long-range missiles. This decision marks a significant change in US strategy. The development comes weeks before Donald Trump takes office as US president. Trump has been a harsh critic of aid to Ukraine, and concerns are growing in Ukraine that he could reduce support for Ukraine or force Kyiv to sign a peace deal with Russia.
According to the Arms Control Association, (“The NATO Russian Founding Act”) The Founding Act emphasizes NATO and Russia’s commitment to fostering mutual trust and security in Europe, explicitly affirming that neither party poses a threat to the sovereignty or territorial integrity of the other. Both sides pledge to refrain from the threat or use of force and to respect the inviolability of borders, ensuring that NATO’s expansion or actions will not undermine Russia’s sovereignty. These principles are aimed at reducing historical tensions and fostering a stable and cooperative security framework in the Euro-Atlantic region.
These long-range precision-guided missiles enable Ukraine to target critical Russian military infrastructure deep within occupied territories, challenging Russia’s operational depth. From Russia’s perspective, the deployment of ATACMS may be seen as crossing a red line, fueling accusations that the US and NATO are directly involved in the conflict.
US officials say the Biden administration plans to use the remaining time it has to ensure Ukraine can effectively fight a war in 2024 or enter peace talks with Russia in a strong position.
The decision was made in response to Russia’s deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to the region for use in clashes on the Ukrainian border. According to American and South Korean officials, around 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia. North Korea is also alleged to have supplied Russia with large amounts of ammunition.
Zelenskyy welcomed the development, although he did not directly confirm the American approval. The Ukrainian president emphasized the importance of “long-range capabilities,” saying, “The missiles will speak their own language.” Weapons with a range of several hundred kilometers, such as the US-made ATACMS missiles and the British-made Storm Shadow missiles, could allow Ukraine to hit Russian military logistics points and air bases.
According to Reuters, Senior Russian officials have warned that the US decision could lead to a dangerous escalation of the conflict. “The West is escalating the conflict to such a level that it could result in the complete destruction of the Ukrainian state,” said Andrey Klishas, a member of the Russian Federation Council.
While Vladimir Jabarov, a senior Russian figure, said, “This step is a big step towards the beginning of the Third World War,” President Vladimir Putin said that such steps by the West would lead to direct confrontation with Russia. Putin stated that such attacks would change the nature and extent of the conflict.
Russia launched its attacks on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and set Kyiv’s refusal to join Western military alliances as a precondition for ending the war. The Kyiv administration, however, considers these demands as “interference with its sovereignty.”
The new US military support for Ukraine is seen as a turning point that could profoundly affect the course of the conflict, but it remains unclear how Russia will respond and how the international community will react to the escalation.
