The United States has given Ukraine the green light to use long-range weapons to strike Russian territory, Axios reported, citing sources in Washington. According to the publication, President Joe Biden made the decision about three days ago, and the Ukrainian side was informed of this immediately.
According to sources, the White House made this decision in response to the threat from North Korea. The US is trying to deter the Kim Jong-un regime from sending additional military units to support Russia in the war against Ukraine.
“Information about Biden’s decision was passed on to Ukraine about three days ago,” the publication quotes a source as saying.
U.S. officials hope that the defeat of North Korean units in the Kursk region will force Pyongyang to reconsider its plans for further participation in the war. If this plan works, Russian forces will fail in critical areas of the front.
The White House decision allows the Ukrainian Defense Forces to strike targets deep inside Russian territory using long-range missiles such as ATACMS, Storm Shadow, and SCALP. This means that the Ukrainian army can now strike not only Russian military facilities, but also North Korean units operating on the side of Russia.
"The Ukrainian Defense Forces have received the right to strike at Russian territory, in particular at the troops of the Russian Federation and the DPRK in the Kursk region," the media report.
Reaction of Russia and North Korea
The Russian Federation has already reacted to this decision, threatening that strikes on its territory could escalate the conflict. The Federation Council stated that such actions could make NATO “a direct participant in the war in Ukraine” and even lead to World War III.
The son of US President-elect Donald Trump Jr. also expressed concern, criticizing the Biden administration's decision as one that could lead to a dangerous escalation.
Pentagon officials have so far declined to comment on this information. However, experts note that this decision could be a decisive factor in changing the course of the war, allowing Ukraine to more effectively counter aggression and stop supplies to North Korean forces to help Russia.
