Biden Authorizes Ukraine to Use U.S. Long-Range Missiles for Strikes on Russia

With two months remaining in his term, the president, for the first time, granted authorization for the Ukrainian military to use the ATACMS system to aid in defending its forces in Russia's Kursk region.

A residential building in Luhansk, located in Russian-controlled Ukraine, was reportedly damaged in June by U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. President Biden's recent authorization permits Ukraine to carry out strikes within Russia. (Credit: Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters)

President Biden has approved Ukraine's first use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles for strikes within Russia, according to U.S. officials.

The weapons are expected to be initially deployed against Russian and North Korean forces in defense of Ukrainian troops in Russia's western Kursk region, the officials stated.

This decision marks a significant shift in U.S. policy. It has sparked debate among Biden's advisers and comes just two months before President-elect Donald J. Trump, who has pledged to scale back support for Ukraine, assumes office.

The authorization to use the long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) was prompted by Russia’s unexpected decision to involve North Korean troops in the conflict, officials said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine refrained from confirming whether permission to strike had been granted but hinted on Sunday that the quantity of missiles used against Russian forces might be more significant than the lifting of restrictions.

“Today, many in the media are discussing reports that we have received permission to take certain actions,” Mr. Zelensky said during his nightly address. “But strikes are not carried out with words. Such matters are not announced. The rockets will speak for themselves.”

President Biden began loosening restrictions on the use of U.S.-supplied weapons on Russian soil after Russia launched a cross-border offensive in May targeting Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

To support Ukraine’s defense of Kharkiv, Mr. Biden authorized the use of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), with a range of about 50 miles, against Russian forces just across the border. However, he stopped short of allowing the deployment of the longer-range ATACMS missiles, capable of reaching up to 190 miles, for Kharkiv's defense.

While officials indicated the policy shift is unlikely to drastically change the war's trajectory, they acknowledged it aims to send a clear message to North Korea: their forces are vulnerable, and they should reconsider deploying additional troops.

Officials indicated that while Ukraine is expected to initially target Russian and North Korean forces threatening its troops in Kursk with the long-range missiles, President Biden may authorize their use in other locations.

Some U.S. officials have expressed concerns that Ukraine’s cross-border use of the missiles could provoke Russian President Vladimir V. Putin to retaliate against the United States and its allies. However, others believe these fears are exaggerated.

The Russian military, bolstered by an estimated 50,000 soldiers, including North Korean troops, is conducting a significant offensive against entrenched Ukrainian positions in Kursk, aiming to reclaim all Russian territory captured by Ukraine in August.

Ukraine could employ the ATACMS missiles to target concentrations of Russian and North Korean forces, critical military assets, logistical hubs, ammunition depots, and supply lines deep within Russia. Such strikes could significantly weaken the effectiveness of the Russian-North Korean offensive.

The decision to supply Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles has been a contentious issue since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Some Pentagon officials opposed providing ATACMS to Ukraine, citing the U.S. Army's limited stockpile. Meanwhile, some White House officials expressed concerns that arming Ukraine with the missiles might provoke President Vladimir V. Putin to escalate the conflict further.

Advocates of a more assertive stance toward Moscow argue that President Biden and his advisers have been overly cautious, allowing themselves to be deterred by Putin's aggressive rhetoric. They believe the administration's incremental approach to arming Ukraine has hindered its effectiveness on the battlefield.

Supporters of Biden’s measured strategy contend that it has been largely successful in avoiding a severe Russian retaliation.

However, permitting long-range strikes on Russian territory with U.S.-supplied missiles could alter this delicate balance.

In August, Ukrainian forces conducted their own cross-border offensive into the Kursk region, capturing a portion of Russian territory.

U.S. officials have grown increasingly concerned about the condition of the Ukrainian army, which is strained by simultaneous Russian offensives in the east, Kharkiv, and now Kursk.

The deployment of over 10,000 North Korean troops, coupled with President Biden’s response, comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, with a stated aim of quickly ending the war.

While Mr. Trump has offered few specifics on how he would resolve the conflict, Vice President-elect JD Vance has proposed a plan that would allow Russia to retain control of Ukrainian territory captured during the war.

Ukrainian leaders hope to leverage any Russian territory they hold in Kursk as a bargaining chip to reclaim Ukrainian territory currently occupied by Russia in future negotiations.

However, if Russia’s offensive in Kursk succeeds, Kyiv may be left without any Russian-held territory to offer in a potential trade deal.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has long sought approval from the United States and its allies to use long-range missiles for strikes on Russian territory.

The British and French militaries have provided Ukraine with a limited supply of Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles, which have a range of approximately 155 miles—shorter than the American ATACMS system.

While British and French leaders supported Mr. Zelensky's request, they hesitated to authorize the use of their missiles on Russian soil without the United States first granting similar permission for ATACMS.

President Biden, more cautious than his British and French counterparts, faced a divided advisory team on the matter. On Sunday, some Republican lawmakers applauded his decision but criticized the delay.

“For months, I have urged President Biden to lift these restrictions,” said Representative Michael R. Turner of Ohio, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, in a statement. “President Biden should have heeded President Zelensky’s calls much earlier.”

Some of President Biden’s advisers had pointed to a recent U.S. intelligence assessment that warned of possible Russian retaliation if long-range ATACMS missiles were used on Russian soil. The report suggested that President Putin might order the Russian military or intelligence agencies to retaliate, potentially using lethal force against the United States and its European allies.

The assessment outlined several potential Russian responses, including increased acts of arson and sabotage targeting European facilities, as well as possible lethal attacks on U.S. and European military bases.

Officials indicated that Biden was influenced to change his position, partly due to the boldness of Russia's decision to deploy North Korean troops against Ukrainian forces.

He was also concerned, they said, that without access to long-range weapons, Ukrainian troops in Kursk could be overwhelmed by the Russian assault.

U.S. officials stated that they do not expect the decision to alter the course of the war. However, they noted that Biden concluded the potential benefits—allowing Ukraine to target high-value objectives it couldn't otherwise reach and sending a clear message to North Korea about the consequences of its involvement—outweighed the risks of further escalation.

A year ago, President Biden faced a similar challenge when U.S. intelligence revealed that North Korea would supply Russia with long-range ballistic missiles.

In response, Biden authorized the provision of several hundred long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for use on its own territory, including the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. These missiles supplemented the more limited supply of Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles provided by Britain and France.

Since then, Ukraine has used many of these missiles in a focused campaign of strikes against Russian military targets in Crimea and the Black Sea.

As a result, it is uncertain how many of these missiles remain available for use in the Kursk region.