Biden approves long-range missiles for Ukraine, Kremlin warns
The Kremlin has issued its initial reactions to the U.S. decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia. Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the State Duma's International Affairs Committee and leader of one of the political parties stated that President Biden's decision would provoke "the sharpest response" due to the threats the Russian Federation expects to face.
"Biden seems to have decided to end his presidential term by going down in history as 'Bloody Joe.' If the reported information from sources is confirmed, it will indicate only one thing: the direct involvement of the United States in the war. This involvement in the Ukraine conflict will be inevitably met with the sharpest response from Russia due to the threats posed to our country," said Slutsky.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has approved Ukraine's use of American weapons to target sites deep inside Russia, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing several informed sources. Similar information has also been provided by other media outlets, referring to sources within the U.S. administration.
According to the agency, Ukraine is set to conduct its first long-range attacks in the coming days using ATACMS missiles, which have a range of about 186 miles.
Reuters reported that this change in U.S. policy was influenced by Russia's deployment of North Korean ground troops at the front. Similar reports were published by agencies such as AP, AFP, and the New York Times.
Biden's decision signifies a departure from the policy maintained since the beginning of the war. In May, the president had agreed to the use of American weapons for strikes in border regions on the Russian side, but this excluded the use of ATACMS and other longer-range missiles.
Representatives of Kyiv had long advocated for such a policy change, but the administration had previously refrained from making a decision. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin argued that lifting the restrictions would not make a significant difference since Ukraine possesses its own weapons with similar or longer ranges, and Russians had moved some of their assets—such as bombers used for shelling Ukraine—deeper into the country, out of range of ATACMS. Biden was also concerned that this might lead to an even greater escalation of the conflict. The Kremlin warned that it would view such a move as a significant escalation.
