US President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles to attack Russian territory. This decision was made after it became known that Russia had involved North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine.
This was reported by The New York Times with reference to American officials.
According to the sources, the missiles could be used primarily to strike Russian and North Korean forces in the Kursk region that pose a threat to Ukrainian troops.
U.S. officials said the administration's policy change was aimed not only at supporting Ukraine's self-defense, but also at sending a signal to Pyongyang. "Their forces are in the target zone and they should not send more troops," the officials said.
It is reported that Ukraine will be able to attack the military infrastructure of the Russian Federation: concentrations of military equipment, ammunition depots, logistics hubs and supply lines. According to Reuters, Ukrainian strikes deep into Russia may take place in the coming days.
Former U.S. special envoy for negotiations with Ukraine Kurt Volker welcomed the move, stressing that the decision to limit the use of long-range weapons was a mistake.
"Under the laws of armed conflict, Ukraine has the right to strike any militarily significant target, but it must avoid targeting civilians. There are no restrictions on the range of weapons used in international law," Volker said.
In his opinion, the U.S. policy of deterring Ukraine from attacking Russia is based on fears of "provoking" the Kremlin, not on legal or moral grounds.
Author: Danylo Pievchev