KYIV, Ukraine: US President Joe Biden has cleared Kyiv to use long-range American missiles against military targets inside Russia, a US official told AFP on Sunday, hours after Russia targeted Ukraine’s power grid in a deadly barrage.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, was confirming reports from The New York Times and The Washington Post that the major policy shift — long demanded by Ukraine — was in response to North Korea deploying troops to help Moscow’s war effort, reports AFP.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has long pushed for authorisation from Washington to use the powerful Army Tactical Missile System, known by its initials ATACMS, to hit targets inside Russia.
Poland was among the first to welcome the development.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the US for “limited strikes” within Russian territory in a major policy shift, US media reported Sunday.
The decision follows reports of North Korea sending troops to support Moscow’s war effort, The Washington Post reported, citing two US officials.
A senior US official said the move also aims to deter further North Korean involvement in Russia’s war on Ukraine, which was launched in February 2022, reports Turkish Anadolu Ajansi
Previously, Washington opposed Ukraine using the long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) against Russian targets, citing concerns over potential retaliation from Russia.
“With the entry into the war of North Korea troops and (Sunday’s) massive attack of Russian missiles, President Biden responded in a language that (Russian President) V.Putin understands,” Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski posted on X.
“The victim of aggression has the right to defend himself,” he added.
Zelensky’s response, in his evening address Sunday, was more muted, referring to the military’s “long range capability” as one of the main points of Ukraine’s victory plan.
“Today, there are many media reports that we have received permission to take appropriate actions,” he said.
“But strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves. Definitely.”
News of Biden’s decision came hours after Ukraine announced nationwide emergency power restrictions from Monday after Russia’s massive attack, which killed 11 civilians and further damaged the country’s already fragile energy grid.
Another 10 people were killed, including two children, in another strike Sunday evening in the northeast town of Sumy.
State power company Ukrenergo announced the power cuts on Sunday, with Ukraine’s much-feared winter approaching.
Russia’s latest barrage brought swift international condemnation.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the attack, which his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement had targeted “energy and critical civilian infrastructure”.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen described the attack on the power grid as “horrible” in comments to Brazil’s Globo News.
“We will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes,” she added. “Ukraine can count on us.”
Zelensky said Moscow launched 120 missiles and almost 100 drones, targeting Kyiv as well as southern, central and far-western corners of the country.
The attack, which officials said was one of Russia’s largest, came as Moscow’s assault neared its 1,000th day, which will be marked at the United Nations on Monday, attended by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga.
Sunday’s barrage came two days after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in almost two years, urging the Kremlin chief to end Moscow’s devastating offensive.
Ukraine was quick to criticise Berlin’s initiative as “attempt at appeasement”. On Sunday, it said the latest attack was the Kremlin’s real answer.
