United States President Joe Biden has authorized the first use of American long-range missiles for strikes into russian territory, the New York Times reports. Three sources also confirmed to Reuters that restrictions will be lifted, and the first targets are to be struck in the coming days, without details.
The policy shift is linked to russia's deployment of North Korean troops in the Kursk region of russia, effectively dragging one more country into war against Ukraine.
Read more: How Far Ukraine Would Reach If U.S. Allows to Fully Use ATACMS (Map)
For a reminder, the restrictions on the use of US-supplied weapons have been in force since Ukraine received MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) from the Pentagon's inventory. Initially, the modifications of this tactical ballistic missile delivered to Ukraine could reach only 150 km into the enemy territory, yet with the later supply of more powerful versions with a range of ~300 km, The White House imposed political restrictions, limiting their use to Ukraine's russian-occupied territories.
In May 2024, after being pressured against the background of a looming russian offensive on Kharkiv, Biden Administration also allowed near-border strikes in russia to attack immediate threats to the city.
Still, the majority of operational- and strategic-level targets like airfields of logistics hubs remained beyond the reach of these artificial limits. At some point around September 2024, in its effort to obtain permission to fully use ATACMS, Kyiv went as far as submitted a list of specific targets in russia so that Washington could check and authorize only strikes aimed at the articles mentioned in this document.
While the contents of this alleged list are confidential, the russian key assets aren't, so let's recall some of the most important ones within the 300-km range.
The obvious ones are military airfields hosting tactical aircraft for missile and bomb strikes on Ukraine. Within the reach of ATACMS are air bases in Kursk, Voronezh, Taganrog, Rostov-on-Don, and others. For example, Ukrainian missiles could reach the Yeysk air base where russians launch Shahed-136 suicide drones to swarm Ukraine; or the fighter aircraft stationed at Millerovo, Buturlinovka, and Morozovsk airfields. Defense Express even counted how many ATACMS it would take to wipe them out.
But as the war evolved, Ukrainian priorities shifted from airfields to prioritizing other targets like military command and control hubs, fuel and weapons depots and troop concentrations. With that in mind, we remind that there are important logistics and command centers in Rostov-on-Don, or the well-known Shahed drone storage and launch site near Primorsko-Akhtarsk.
Though there's a yet unknown variable regarding Biden's permit: whether it only applies to ATACMS or an overall ban lifted on strikes in russia. After all, discussions have been long underway about the prospects of the US transferring AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles to Ukraine, too. These have a maximum range of 370 km — Defense Express outlined targets falling within its reach in a separate article. Washington has not yet commented on the reports from NYT and Reuters and the alleged lift of restrictions.
Read more: Ukrainian Military Explains Why Crimean Bridge Hasn't Been Destroyed Yet
