US decision to lift restrictions on long-range strikes reportedly applies only to Russia’s Kursk
Photo: ATACMS (Getty Images)
President of the United States Joe Biden has lifted restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range missiles solely within the Kursk region of Russia. The decision was made approximately three days ago, informs AXIOS.
According to the outlet's sources, the decision was aimed at deterring North Korea from sending additional troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.
“US officials hope that if North Korean troops in Kursk are hit, Pyongyang might review its decision to send troops to Russia and the Russian counterattack in Kursk will fail,” AXIOS added.
Meanwhile, John Hardie, deputy director of FDD's Russia Program, argued that the use of long-range weapons should not be limited to the Kursk region. Striking high-priority targets across the entirety of Russia could strengthen Kyiv's position in potential negotiations. Specifically, it might pressure Moscow into agreeing to a moratorium on attacks against critical energy infrastructure.
US approval for long-range strikes
Ukraine has repeatedly asked the United States and other allies in recent months to allow the use of their weapons to strike Russian military targets located far beyond Ukraine's borders. However, Washington had previously approached such requests with caution.
Yesterday, November 17, Western media reported that the Biden administration had permitted Ukraine to use US-provided weapons for strikes on Russian territory.
Following the US, similar permissions were granted by France and the United Kingdom. More detailed information on this can be found in RBC-Ukraine's report.
According to Reuters, Ukraine may soon carry out strikes on Russian territory using long-range ATACMS missiles.
