The Kremlin has warned that the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden will exacerbate tensions by permitting Ukraine to employ long-range missiles for attacks within Russian territory. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that media reports indicate Biden has authorized such strikes, stating: "It is evident that the departing administration in Washington aims to perpetuate the conflict and incite further escalation of tensions."
A US official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to AFP reports from The New York Times and The Washington Post that this significant policy shift, long sought by Ukraine, was a response to North Korea's deployment of troops to support Moscow's war effort. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has persistently advocated for Washington's authorization to utilize the potent Army Tactical Missile System, abbreviated as ATACMS, to target Russian territory.
Peskov emphasized that if such a decision was indeed communicated to Kyiv, it would represent a new and heightened level of tension, as well as a novel aspect of the US's involvement in the conflict. He recalled President Vladimir Putin's clear stance in September, when Putin asserted that such a move would effectively place NATO in a state of war with Russia. In response to potential threats, Putin had declared in September: "We will make the appropriate decisions based on the threats we face."
Peskov reiterated on Monday that Putin's stance is that such strikes would be executed not by Ukraine, but by the nations that grant permission for the use of these missiles. This is because "the targets are determined not by Ukrainian military personnel, but by specialists from these Western countries. This fundamentally alters the nature of their engagement." He concluded by highlighting the danger and provocative nature of this situation.
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