Biden secretly allows Ukraine strikes on Russia: Officials
4 Min Read
US officials reveal that Biden secretly approved Ukrainian strikes on Russian territories using US-supplied weapons.
-
United States Army soldiers conducted a fire testing of the Army Tactical Missile System at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, the United States, on December 14, 2021. (AP)
United States President Joe Biden has secretly lifted restrictions on Ukraine's use of US-supplied weapons against targets in Russian territory, US officials told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Thursday.
According to US officials, Biden made the move "only to defend the under-fire" Kharkov region against Russian forces. The news agency says that Biden has come under increasing pressure from Ukrainian officials urging him to further ease the ban on the use of weapons. However, the US president believes that this would drag NATO into direct conflict or even a nuclear standoff with Russia.
The US has supplied Ukrainian forces with short-range ballistic weapons that extend the precision targeting capabilities of Ukrainian forces to a radius of nearly 300 km at points of deployment.
The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) comes in several variants that are subdivided into four categories. This includes a missile variant capable of carrying a warhead equipped with smaller bomblets capable of proximity detonation, which has been used to target Russian air defense batteries.
However, cluster versions of the bomblet-equipped warhead come in two versions, one that can hit targets 165 km away and another that can hit targets at a deeper 300 km range. Other variants include the M57 Block IA Unitary which has a range of 300 km and a warhead equipped with proximity, point, and delayed detonation capabilities. It has been circulated in Western news outlets that several M57 Block IA ATACMSs have been secretly delivered to Ukraine in recent months.
Sullivan convinces Biden of strikes on Russia
"The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use US-supplied weapons for counter-fire purposes in the Kharkiv region so Ukraine can hit back against Russian forces that are attacking them or preparing to attack them," a US official said.
The official also said that Washington's policy concerning the use of ATACMS or long-range strikes inside Russia has not changed.
Most recently, an ATACMS strike targeted the Crimean peninsula, destroying parts of a delivery pier and a patrol boat, according to Ukrainian sources.
After Russia initiated its Kharkov offensive on May 10, Biden's decision emerged from weeks of discreet discussions between the White House and senior US military and State Department officials. On May 13, Ukraine sought approval to use US weapons on Russian territory, and on May 15, Biden consented in principle following a strong argument by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan for Ukraine's right to self-defense.
Read more: War in Ukraine shattering 'superiority' of US-made weaponry: RS
Putin warns against long-range strikes on Russia
Biden's approval of strikes has led European NATO countries to suggest similar strikes on Russian territories. This led Russian President Vladimir Putin to caution certain NATO member states to understand the implications of their suggestions of allowing Kiev to initiate strikes on Russian territory.
"These representatives of NATO countries, especially in Europe, especially in small countries, they should be aware of what they are playing with. They should remember that this is usually a state with a small territory and a very dense population. This is a factor they should keep in mind before striking deep into Russian territory," Putin said during a press conference following his visit to Uzbekistan on May 28.
In his remarks, the Russian President emphasized that Moscow is closely observing such remarks. Putin further addressed NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg's comments regarding potential strikes, stating that Stoltenberg should recognize the indispensable role of space-based reconnaissance for deploying high-precision long-range weaponry.
Biden's covert support for Ukraine's expanded use of US-supplied weaponry marks a significant escalation, one that Moscow views as a dangerous provocation potentially destabilizing the entire region. These fears are further reinforced by bandwagoning European countries encouraging such strikes against one of the world's leading nuclear powers.
Read more: NATO air defense capacity needed to protect eastern flank stands at 5%
