US President Joe Biden has, for the first time, authorised Ukrainian forces to use long-range ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory.
Source: The New York Times, citing American officials
Details: The publication’s sources state that the missiles will likely first target Russian and North Korean troops to protect Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
The decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles against targets in Russia was reportedly a response to Russia’s unexpected move to involve North Korean forces in the conflict, officials stated.
Though the sources do not expect that this shift will drastically alter the course of the war, one of the objectives of Biden’s policy change, they say, is to send a message to North Koreans that their forces are vulnerable and that they should refrain from sending more troops to aid Russia.
American officials believe that while Ukrainians are likely to initially use the missiles against Russian and North Korean forces in Kursk Oblast, Biden may authorise their use elsewhere in Russia.
Some US officials have expressed concerns that Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles on Russian territory could provoke Russian leader Vladimir Putin into retaliatory measures against the US and its coalition partners. However, others in the administration may consider these fears overstated.
The NYT writes that Ukraine could use ATACMS to strike concentrations of Russian and North Korean forces, key military assets, logistical hubs, ammunition depots and supply chains deep within Russian territory. These strikes could help Ukraine diminish the effectiveness of the Russo-North Korean offensive.
As sources reported, Biden has concluded that the potential benefits – Ukraine achieving critical objectives otherwise unattainable and the US sending a clear message to North Korea about the cost of its involvement – outweigh the risks of escalation.
The publication also notes that if Russia’s attack on Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast proves successful, Ukraine may find itself with little remaining Russian territory to offer Moscow in exchange for Ukrainian land during negotiations.
The article adds that while British and French leaders have expressed support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s request to conduct long-range strikes on Russian territory, they have been reluctant to permit Ukraine to use their missiles unless Biden agreed to allow the deployment of ATACMS.
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