JUST IN: Biden Authorizes Dangerous Escalation In Ukraine Before Leaving Office
President Biden has given the Ukrainian military permission to use U.S.-provided, long-range missiles to strike Russian territory, according to a report from the New York Times.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that such an action would constitute a declaration of war. Putin has yet to respond to Biden’s authorization as of this report.
Ukraine has launched limited attacks inside Russian territory in the past, including the bombing of the Kerch Strait Bridge in Crimea in 2022. The embattled nation has also launched a number of drone swarm attacks on Russian territory and earlier this year, Ukrainian troops opened a front in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The Kursk front has failed to provide much of a strategic boost for the AFU, however, as Russian forces have recorded gains on other fronts.
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A HIMARS launcher
The authorization of long-range missiles is a major escalation in the war, as Ukrainian forces will now be able to attack Russian territory with deadly efficiency. Senior defense officials told the New York Times that Ukraine plans to carry out a series of long-range attacks in the coming days, though they did not provide additional details.
Biden’s major decision — which comes just two months before President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in — was made in response to the arrival of North Korean troops in Ukraine, who have reportedly been fighting on behalf of Russian forces.
Biden previously authorized Ukrainian forces to use the High Mobility Artillery Rocket system, commonly referred to as HIMARS, against Russian forces directly across the border. That decision was made after Russia launched an offensive in the Kharkiv direction, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
HIMARS systems have a maximum range of roughly 50 miles. With Biden’s new authorization of the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, the Ukrainian Military can now launch strikes from up to 190 miles away.
The White House does not believe the authorization will significantly alter the course of the war, though they believe it will send a message to North Korea and discourage them from sending more troops.
The massive escalation could significantly hamper President-elect Trump’s ability to negotiate a peace deal between the warring states, something he has long vowed to do once back in office. The outgoing, decisively defeated president’s escalation could also derail Trump’s peace hopes with North Korea, as Trump has long hoped to build on progress made in his first term.
In September, Putin stated that the authorization of long-range missile strikes would mean that all NATO countries are effectively at war with Russia.
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