President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use powerful long-range American weapons inside Russia, according to a senior US official familiar with the decision. This move comes as Russia has deployed nearly 50,000 troops to Kursk, the southern Russian region where Kyiv launched its surprise counteroffensive in the summer, to prepare to take back territory.
Additionally, thousands of North Korean troops have deployed to Kursk as part of the offensive, raising concerns among Biden and his advisers about the potential for a dangerous new phase in the war.
The decision to allow the use of the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) had been under consideration for months, with American officials divided on the wisdom of granting this new capability. Some officials expressed concerns about escalating the conflict, while others worried about depleting stockpiles of these weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky had been advocating for Washington to permit the use of these weapons inside Russia, emphasizing the need for such capabilities to gain momentum in the ongoing war effort.
