Biden authorizes Ukraine to use long-range missiles in response to North Korean troop deployment in Russia

U.S. President Joe Biden gave the green light for Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), a powerful long-range U.S. weapon, in targeted strikes inside Russian territory. The move represents a major shift in U.S. policy, and comes in response to the recent dispatch of thousands of North Korean soldiers to Russia to support the Kremlin in its military campaign.

Until now, the United States had been reluctant to allow Ukraine to use the ATACMS system for attacks inside Russian territory, warning of the risk of military escalation. However, with the growing North Korean presence, the tactic has changed. ATACMS missiles, which have a range of up to 300 kilometers, will allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia and affect the Kremlin's military infrastructure.

Michael Kofman, a military expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, noted that this change could give Ukraine an operational advantage, allowing it to better hold and defend the territory it controls in Kursk.

The context of the North Korean deployment

Some 10,000 elite North Korean troops were deployed to the Kursk region near Ukraine's northern border. According to senior U.S. officials, this move has been seen as a significant escalation, raising concerns in the West about North Korea's military support for Russia. The Biden administration hopes the use of ATACMS missiles will deter Pyongyang from sending more troops and make clear the "costly" mistake this deployment represents, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Kremlin response and escalation concerns

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned that the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles represents a red line. Recently, he reviewed Russia's nuclear doctrine, interpreted as an implicit threat in response to the supply of advanced weaponry to Ukraine. The White House, however, has indicated that concerns about Russian retaliation have diminished over time, as several U.S. weapons systems have been used without a significant response from Moscow.

Trump's role in the future of the war

The authorization for the use of ATACMS missiles comes shortly before the return of Donald Trump to the White House, who has vowed to put an end to the war. Trump has shown a more skeptical approach toward U.S. military aid to Ukraine and has expressed his intention to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia.

France, U.K. back Ukrainian strikes in Russia

France and the U.K. have authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles in targeted strikes inside Russian territory, Le Figaro reported.