November 17, 2024, 7:54 PM
November 17, 2024, 7:54 PM
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, this Sunday lifted the ban on the use of long-range US missiles by the Ukrainian army to attack strategic positions within Russian territory.
The authorization is a notable change in US strategy in Ukraine, because these weapons have the capacity to hit areas deep inside Russia.
The details were published by the newspapers The New York Times and Washington Postas well as the AFP news agency, but there is still no official confirmation from the White House or the Pentagon.
For his part, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke about media reports about the use of ATACMS against Russia, but did not confirm or deny that the United States had given permission to use them.
In a video, the president said he had presented a “plan for victory” to allies, which included “long-range capability for our military.”
“Many in the media are saying that we have received permission to take appropriate action,” he said. “But attacks are not carried out with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves,” he added.
According to US sources, Ukraine plans to launch its first long-range missile attack in the next days.
Although the Kremlin has not yet commented, last September the Russian leader, Vladimir Putinwarned about the use of this type of weapons in the conflict.
Putin said such a decision would be considered “direct participation” of NATO countries in the war in Ukraine, adding that it would “substantially change the very essence, the nature of the conflict.”
“This will mean that NATO countries, the United States and European countries are fighting with Russia,” he added.
According to US media sources, the change of course by the Biden government is due to the participation of North Korean troops in the ranks of the Russian army.
This alarmed the governments in Washington and Kyiv.
The type of missile
Army tactical missile system MGM-140 (ATACMS) is manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
They have the capacity to reach up to 300 kilometers and They are difficult to intercept due to its high speed.
The United States sent these weapons as part of a support package and they have already been used at least once to attack Russian targets in occupied Crimea.
However, the truth is that the decision would now allow Ukraine to attack Russian-controlled areas more deeply, targeting bases, storage facilities and logistics centers.
While some U.S. officials have been skeptical that allowing long-range strikes will change the overall course of the war, the move could help Ukraine at a time when Russian forces are making gains and possibly reaching put Kyiv in a difficult situation.
According to the agency Reutersit is not clear if Trump will reverse Biden’s decision when he takes office next January.
Trump has strongly criticized US policies on financial and military aid to Ukraine and has promised to end the war quickly, without explaining how he will achieve it.
Its importance cannot be underestimated
Paul Adams, BBC diplomacy correspondent, reporting from Dnipro, Ukraine
This is a significant moment in the war.
Ukraine has been asking for permission to use ATACMS inside Russia for months.
It is one of the most powerful weapons yet provided to Ukraine, capable of firing long-range missiles up to 300 kilometers.
“This is a very important decision for us,” Serhii Kuzan, president of the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, told me.
“It’s not something that’s going to change the course of the war, but I think it will make our forces more equal.”
Kuzan said the decision came just in time to counter the expected start of a great assault by Russian and Korean troops, designed to evict Ukrainian forces of the Russian Kursk region.
The assault is expected to take place within days.
“That is why this decision comes just in time. “There are two days left,” he tells me, adding that much depends on the number of missiles already provided to Ukraine and whether the United States shares intelligence to allow the missiles to be used to greatest effect.
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