U.S. media are reporting that President Joe Biden's administration has lifted restrictions that prevented Ukraine from using American-provided weapons to strike deep inside Russian territory.
ATACMS M270 MLRS. Fot. wikiepdia, domena publiczna
Reports on November 17 by The New York Times, AP, and Reuters cited sources familiar with the matter.
The White House has not commented on the reports.
If confirmed, it would represent a major shift in U.S. policy amid long-standing pleas by Kyiv to allow such actions.
Reuters, citing its sources, reported that Kyiv plans to conduct the first of such long-range attacks in the next few days, but it did not disclose specifics.
Ukraine would likely utilize ATACMS rockets -- which have a range of up to 300 kilometers -- Reuters said, citing three sources familiar with the issue.
The U.S. administration has been seeking ways to shore up support for Ukraine ahead of Biden’s departure from the White House on January 20, when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Trump has criticized the strong support Biden has given to Kyiv and has said he seeks an end to the war as quickly as possible, but with terms that would likely be unacceptable to Ukraine.
AP cited its sources as saying the latest decision by Biden is likely in response to North Korea sending thousands of troops to Russia amid reports that some have already engaged in fighting in Russia’s Kursk region.
The Kremlin has warned that the allowance by the United States or other Western allies to use long-range weapons targeting Russia would be seen as a major escalation.
Since its February 2022 full-scale invasion, Russia has used its long-range weapons and warplanes to attack deep inside Ukraine, hitting civilian and infrastructure sites along with military targets.
Ukraine’s energy authority on November 17 said all Ukrainian regions will experience temporary restrictions on power consumption on November 18 after Russia launched one of its largest air strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure.
The Russian attacks were condemned by the European Union, NATO, and other Western allies.
"NATO strongly condemns Russia's large-scale attack against Ukraine that has killed and terrorized civilians and targeted critical energy infrastructure," a spokeswoman said.
"We stand by Ukraine and allies continue to make unprecedented contributions to Ukraine's defenses," she said.
By RFE/RL's Georgian Service
