Biden okays Ukraine's deeper strikes with U.S. missiles
The Biden administration has agreed to allow Ukraine to use American weapons for attacks deep into Russia. In September, Vladimir Putin warned against such a scenario. The dictator threatened that if the West allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory with long-range missiles, it would mean that "NATO countries are at war with Russia."
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Regarding the potential Western approval for using long-range missiles to attack targets in Russia, Putin was asked about this in September in St. Petersburg. At that time, speculations on this topic were still ongoing.
"We are dealing with an attempt to change concepts. We are not talking about allowing or prohibiting the Kyiv regime to strike Russian territory. The regime conducts attacks as it does—using drones and other means," Putin stated. "But when it comes to using Western precision long-range weapons, it's a completely different story," he emphasized.
In his opinion, Ukrainians are not able to independently use Western long-range weapons to attack targets in Russia. They need intelligence data from satellites, which Ukraine does not have. They would, therefore, have to obtain it from American or European satellites. "Ukrainian pilots are also not able to launch these missiles from their aircraft," he argued.
According to Putin, the discussion is therefore not about whether to give Ukraine permission to use Western long-range weapons, but whether NATO should directly engage in this conflict.
"If such a decision is made, it will mean nothing less than the direct involvement of NATO countries in the war in Ukraine. It would change the nature of the conflict. It would mean that NATO countries are at war with Russia," Putin said in September.
"And if that happens, considering the change in the nature of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us," he added.
Breakthrough U.S. decision. Biden's approval on Ukraine
The change in the U.S. decision was reportedly influenced by the deployment of North Korean ground troops on the front by Russia, Reuters reported.
Biden's decision marks a change in the policy conducted since the beginning of the war. In May, the president agreed to the use of American weapons for strikes in the border regions on the Russian side, but it did not pertain to the use of ATACMS and other longer-range missiles.
Representatives of Kyiv had long been advocating for such a change, but the administration had so far refrained from making the decision.
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin argued that lifting the restrictions would not change much, as Ukraine has its own weapons with similar and longer ranges, and the Russians have moved some of their assets—such as bombers used for shelling Ukraine—deeper into the country, out of the range of ATACMS.
Biden was concerned that it could lead to even greater escalation of the conflict. The Kremlin warned that it would view such a move as a significant escalation.
Source: WP Wiadomości
