Biden administration authorizes Ukraine to target deep inside Russia
Reuters reported on Sunday that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use American weapons to strike targets deep within Russia. According to the agency, Ukraine is set to carry out its first attacks in the coming days. Considering the range of ATACMS missiles (approx. 300 kilometres), the media published a map indicating where Kyiv might strike.
With the ATACMS systems, Ukrainians can target facilities located in a broad area stretching from Ukraine's borders to the region of Smolensk in the north, through regions with cities such as Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, and Voronezh, down to Rostov-on-Don in the south. These cities alone house up to 5 million people.
The targets might include key facilities such as Kursk airport and the surrounding military bases.
The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) estimates that up to 245 strategically significant facilities may lie within the range of ATACMS missiles, including military units, a dozen airports used by the Russian military, missile launchers, command centres, weapon manufacturing plants, as well as important logistical hubs used to supply Vladimir Putin's army in Ukraine's Donbas.
Biden gave Ukraine the green light. Kyiv may strike deep into Russia
On Sunday evening, Reuters reported that Ukraine plans to conduct its first long-range attacks in the coming days using ATACMS missiles with a range of about 300 kilometres. Russia deploying North Korean ground troops to the front influenced the U.S. decision change.
The Biden administration's decision marks a policy shift since the start of the war. In May, the president agreed to the use of American weapons for strikes in border regions on the Russian side, but this did not include longer-range missiles like ATACMS. The Kremlin had warned that such a move would be considered a significant escalation.
Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin argued that lifting the restrictions won't change much since Ukraine has its own weapons with similar or greater range, and the Russians have relocated some of their assets—such as bombers used to shell Ukraine—further inland, beyond the reach of ATACMS.
The Kremlin has already commented on the latest U.S. decision. Putin has already spoken about the decision to launch long-range missiles from the West on the territory of the Russian Federation, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova briefly.
Source: ISW/x.com/WP News
