MOSCOW: Russia has warned the United States over its decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range American missiles for strikes inside Russia, calling it a dangerous escalation of the conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that such a move would mark “a qualitatively new round of tension” and signal US involvement in the war, accusing Washington of “adding fuel to the fire.”
The warning follows reports of US President Joe Biden approving the use of advanced weapons.
US President Joe Biden has allowed Ukraine to use long-range American missiles against military targets inside Russia, a US official told AFP on Sunday.
The official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, was confirming reports from The New York Times and The Washington Post that the major policy shift was in response to North Korea deploying troops to help Moscow’s war effort.
Previously, Washington opposed Ukraine using the long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) against Russian targets, citing concerns over potential retaliation from Russia.
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.
The Kremlin spokesman said that US President Joe Biden’s administration is fuelling tensions by allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles for strikes deep into Russia.
“If such a decision has indeed been formulated and communicated to Kyiv, then, of course, this is a qualitatively new round of escalation of tensions and a qualitatively new situation in terms of the involvement of the United States in this conflict,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“We are proceeding from this,” he emphasised. He said Moscow’s position should be absolutely clear to everyone, Russian News Agency, TASS reported.
“These signals have been received by the collective West. And they were voiced by the president,” Peskov recalled.
Earlier, The New York Times, citing US officials, reported that US President Joe Biden for the first time allowed the Ukrainian military to use long-range ATACMS missiles to strike inside Russia.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said “Such things are not announced, missiles speak for themselves”.
The development marks a significant change in Washington’s earlier stance, which had tried to avoid direct involvement in the conflict.
As per reports Ukraine is expected to deploy ATACMS for its long-range strikes. These missiles, with a range of approximately 306 kilometres, could target Russian military installations deep within its territory.
A close foreign policy adviser to Trump, Richard Grenell, criticised Biden’s decision, describing it as an unnecessary escalation. “Escalating wars before leaving office,” Grenell posted on X.
NATO countries have so far refrained from permitting their supplied weapons to be used for strikes inside Russia.
Ukrinform, the official news agency for Ukraine reported that Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in a statement said the United States had responded to Russia’s reported use of North Korean troops and its latest large-scale missile attack on Ukraine by permitting Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia using ATACMS missiles.
The US has been the greatest supplier of weapons to Ukraine. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research organisation from the start of the war and the end of June 2024, the US delivered or committed to sending weapons and equipment worth $55.5bn.
Significance of ATACMS for Ukraine
Ukrainian troops have been using the cluster munition and unitary variants of the ATACMS since October 2023 to hit Russian targets on occupied Ukrainian territory.
The White House withheld permission for Ukraine to strike within Russia for fear of retaliation from Moscow and concerns about available stocks.
Approval to use the 190-mile-range weapon to hit targets in Kursk is politically significant. Biden will soon be out of the White House, and President-elect Donald Trump’s apparent skepticism towards continued aid to Kyiv has raised concerns of a sudden drop-off in US aid.
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According to experts, as cited by ABC News, the ATACMS green light in Kursk might produce relatively limited battlefield results, though the looming future threat to other Russian regions may increase pressure on Moscow in any revived peace talks.
A senior US defence official confirmed to ABC News on Monday that Ukraine has not yet used any ATACMS missiles on Russian soil.
The official said Ukrainian commanders would be best served targeting major military warehouses, repair centres and airfields, rather than concentrations of Russian or North Korean manpower.
