Biden authorized Ukraine to attack deep into Russian territory with the American missiles ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems), which are effective at a range of about 300 km. To date, the Biden administration has not allowed Ukraine to attack deep into Russian territory for fear of escalating tensions with Moscow. The new missiles bring into Ukraine’s firing range an area of thousands of square kilometers in Russia, including many military and civilian targets .
The ATACMS missile range deep in Russian territory
2/ …and that the US should allow Ukraine to strike all legitimate military targets within Russia’s operational and deep-rear within range of US-provided weapons – not just those in Kursk Oblast.
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 17, 2024: https://t.co/qiUi8NjUng pic.twitter.com/1qwDynCZaK
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) November 18, 2024
According to various reports in the US, at least in the first stage the long-range missiles from the US will be used by Ukraine to attack the Russian and North Korean military forces in Russia’s counterattack against the Ukrainian army in the Kursk region, where Ukraine continues to hold since August an area of about 600 Kmr. In recent days, the Russian army launched a large-scale counterattack in the area, with about 50,000 soldiers, of which About 11,000 soldiers from Kim Jong-un’s army. The West estimates that Putin is determined to reach the negotiations to end the war with Ukraine when he completely regains control of the Kursk region, and Ukraine no longer holds that card.
Those around Biden said that the decision came directly following the supply of troops from North Korea to Russia. According to a report published yesterday on the Bloomberg network, North Korea may send up to 100,000 fighters to Russia to participate in the war in Ukraine. Tonight, Kim Jong Un said that he instructed his army to prepare “for a real war”, and this at a time of unusual tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Officials in Washington said that President Biden wants to send a message to North Korea that “its troops are vulnerable” and that it should not send more troops to Russia.
Biden’s move comes after Trump’s victory in the presidential election, and about two months before the new-old president’s return to the White House. There is great doubt whether Trump will approve the continuation of the policy of Ukrainian attacks deep in Russian territory using American weapons. In Russia, Biden was criticized, claiming that he was trying to “bring to maximum tension before Trump’s entry into the White House.”
Trump’s victory greatly affects the war in Ukraine, and both in Kiev and in Moscow are already preparing for what appears to be the end of the war through negotiations, and both sides are making heavy efforts to improve their positions ahead of the expected talks, even though Trump himself has not yet presented an orderly plan for ending the war. Another possible reason for Biden’s decision to grant Ukraine the long-awaited approval is the desire to help Ukraine influence the battlefield in a better way before Trump’s return.
Various experts and commentators estimate that despite the dramatic decision, the American approval for Ukraine to attack deep into Russian territory is not expected to have a tie-breaking effect on the war. In the US, they emphasized recently that the Russian army has already withdrawn all fighter planes, bombers and strategic assets far beyond the range of the missilesATACMSbut it is still expected to have a major impact in hitting concentrations of Russian and North Korean forces, ammunition and munitions stores, and important logistical warehouses of the Russian army.
One of the biggest concerns of the opponents of the decision in the White House is that Putin will respond, among other things, by transferring advanced weapons to the enemies of the United States, for example the Houthis in Yemen. Among other things, the fear has arisen that Russia will supply the Houthis with advanced missiles against ships of the “Yakhont” type Other concerns that may also affect Israel is the increase in Russian military support for Iran, either in the nuclear program or in additional military capabilities.
In Moscow, naturally, they are outraged by the decision and claim that it brings the world closer to “World War III”. Vladimir Dzhabrov, the deputy chairman of the upper house in the Russian parliament, said yesterday that “this is a very big step towards a third world war”, and that Russia’s response will be “immediate”. Leonid Slutsky, president of the foreign relations committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament, said that the move “will lead to the most severe reaction” from Russia.
Holland’s Foreign Minister Kasper Veldkamp said that the American approval given to Ukraine is “an appropriate step following the sending of the troops from North Korea to Russia.” Joseph Borrell, the outgoing foreign minister of the European Union, said that he hopes that all countries of the bloc will agree that Ukraine should attack deep into Russian territory. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barreau clarified that France has not yet authorized Ukraine to attack deep into Russian territory with missiles SCALP French, and clarified: “This is an issue we are still considering.”