Biden Allows Ukraine to Strike Russia With Long-Range U.S. Missiles
War
The Latest
Photos
Maps: Russia’s Gains
Russia Bombards Power Grid
Attack on Kyiv Maternity Clinic
Biden Allows Ukraine to Strike Russia With Long-Range U.S. Missiles
With two months left in office, the president for the first time authorized the Ukrainian military to use the system known as ATACMS to help defend its forces in the Kursk region of Russia.
Listen to this article · 8:26 min Learn more
Share full article
A missile is launched from the ground with a fiery trail across a blue sky.
Mr. Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, came in response to Russia’s decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight.Credit…John Hamilton/White Sands Missile Range, via Associated Press
Adam EntousEric SchmittJulian E. Barnes
By Adam EntousEric Schmitt and Julian E. Barnes
Reporting from Washington
Nov. 17, 2024
Updated 3:59 p.m. ET
Want to stay updated on what’s happening in Ukraine? Sign up for Your Places: Global Update, and we’ll send our latest coverage to your inbox.
President Biden has authorized the first use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine for strikes inside Russia, U.S. officials said.
The weapons are likely to be initially employed against Russian and North Korean troops in defense of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of western Russia, the officials said.
Mr. Biden’s decision is a major change in U.S. policy. The choice has divided his advisers, and his shift comes two months before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office, having vowed to limit further support for Ukraine.
Allowing the Ukrainians to use the long-range missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, came in response to Russia’s surprise decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight, officials said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/17/us/politics/biden-ukraine-russia-atacms-missiles.html