In this image provided by the U.S. Army, soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery, 18th Field Artillery Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, conduct a live-fire test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, Dec. 14, 2021. are. , an early version of the Army Tactical Missile System.
John Hamilton/White Sands Missile Range, Associated Press
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John Hamilton/White Sands Missile Range, Associated Press
For the first time, President Biden has given Ukraine the green light to use powerful long-range American weapons in an attack inside Russia, a U.S. official told NPR on Sunday.
The missile, known as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), can fly approximately 190 miles. These would allow Ukrainian forces to attack Russian weapons depots, logistics centers, and airfields, and could help deter Russian forces from advancing into the battlefield and attacking Ukrainian cities. There is.
Although he was not authorized to speak publicly about the decision, U.S. officials said Ukraine would use the weapons to target the same area of Kursk where the U.S. recently deployed about 10,000 North Korean troops. He said that he was allowed to do so. and their allies.
This authorization marks a significant shift in US policy. Until recently, the Biden administration resisted allowing Ukraine to fire long-range U.S. missiles into Russian territory, fearing it would only escalate the war.
The United States confirmed this spring that it had sent ATACMS to Ukraine with the condition that they be used only within Ukrainian territory.
U.S. officials said British officials were likely to follow suit and allow Ukraine to use its long-range Storm Shadow missile in Russia. These missiles can fly approximately 255 miles. Because these missiles contain American parts, Britain needed American approval.
It is unclear how many long-range ATACMS Ukraine has, but their numbers are limited because Ukraine has already used some of the weapons against targets within its territory.
Another official on Capitol Hill, who was also not authorized to speak publicly, said the issue comes as the number of such missiles is limited and Ukraine already uses drones to attack Russian targets. He said the decision was unlikely to change the course of the war.
The war has escalated since the Ukrainian military invaded Russia’s Kursk region in August. The attack was seen as a breakthrough for Ukraine and a setback for Russia. And in October, North Korea sent thousands of troops to Kursk to help repel Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The policy shift comes just over two months before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. President Trump criticized the amount of aid given to Ukraine in its fight against Russia and claimed the war could be ended within 24 hours, but he did not explain how.
NPR’s Tom Bowman contributed reporting.
