The Biden administration has just authorized the use of ATACMS missiles, supplied by the United States to the Ukrainian army against Russia. Their range is estimated at several hundred kilometers.
A major strategic change. On Sunday November 17, 2024, Washington gave the green light to Ukraine to strike Russian territory with long-range missiles provided by the United States, as indicated by an American official to AFP. This decision comes after new Russian attacks which targeted the Ukrainian energy network and left ten people dead. It also responds to a long-standing request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In fact, this decision by the American president – in office until January 20, 2025 – Joe Biden, offers a new significant military option to Ukraine, allowing it to consider a possible response after Moscow’s violent counterattack . Indeed, the last weekend of massive Russian strikes, supported by nearly 50,000 men including the reinforcement of 10,000 North Koreans in the Russian region of Kursk conquered by kyiv in August 2024, precipitated Joe Biden’s decision to deliver the famous long-range missiles.
The priority for Ukraine is clear: retain a piece of Russian territory, particularly before Donald Trump takes office, who announced during his campaign that he would resolve the war “in 24 hours” and is regularly very critical of aid. American to Ukraine. This Sunday, again, a close foreign policy advisor to Donald Trump, Richard Grenell, did not mince his words about Joe Biden’s decision: “No one anticipated the fact that Joe Biden was going to cause an escalation in the war in Ukraine during the transition period, it is as if he is completely starting a new war. Everything has changed now. All previous calculations are null and void. he lashed out.
The White House is talking about a preventive change of direction, it could be a matter of convincing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un of the damage caused by his involvement in Ukraine, particularly with regard to the human toll. However, it is impossible to know the details of the mutual defense agreement between Russia and North Korea, especially in nuclear matters. Until now, the United States’ refusal to supply these missiles to Ukraine was based on fear of an escalation on the Russian side. In reality, however, the escalation took place, with the presence of North Korean soldiers alongside Vladimir Putin’s army.
Ballistic missiles with a range of 300 km
If the use of American long-range missiles could significantly change the face of the Ukrainian army, what are we really talking about? These are long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missiles MGM-140 ATACMS (Army TActical Missile System), capable of reaching a target located up to 300 kilometers away. These machines travel at a speed close to that of sound. The first missiles were delivered to kyiv in October 2023, but their range was limited to 165 kilometers. The new ATACMS missiles will therefore be able to reach targets further inside Russian territory.
In reality, Ukraine already had some at its disposal, but was not authorized to use them on Russian territory. It was restricted to use on Russian targets in the occupied territories of Ukraine, in annexed Crimea and in Russian border regions directly linked to the fighting with Moscow.
Logistics sites, aerodromes… The new targets
These American-made ballistic missiles could allow kyiv to reach logistical sites of the Russian army and airfields from which its bombers take off. An asset which, until now, was sorely lacking in the Ukrainian army. Already used in the Gulf War, then during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, these missiles contain no less than 170 kilos of explosives according to the New York Times and are equipped with a specialized GPS system. Unsurprisingly, the first target could be the Russian border region of Kursk, where Russian troops are aided by soldiers from North Korea.
Could the green light given by Washington ignite the dispute between Russia and the West? Russian President Vladimir Putin recently warned that such a decision would mean that “NATO countries are at war with Russia.” At the same time, this late but strong decision by the United States could encourage other allies to do the same, for example the United Kingdom.