Joe Biden has given the green light for Ukraine to use US-made long-range missiles to target inside Russia, US officials say.
In a major policy shift just weeks before his tenure in office ends, the US president signed off on Ukraine’s use of ATACMS missiles outside its own borders. This comes after months of refusing Kyiv’s requests, which it said was crucial for its defences against Russia’s invasion. The missiles are first likely to be used inside the Kursk region near Russia’s border, where troops have been massing to try and reclaim territory Kyiv’s forces took in a daring assault in the summer.
It also opens the door for the UK to authorise the use of Britain’s own long-range Storm Shadow missiles into Russia.
Storm Shadow is an Anglo-French cruise missile with a maximum range of around 155 miles (250km). The French call it Scalp. After launch, the weapon, equipped with its navigation system, descends to a low altitude to avoid detection before locking on to its target using an infra-red seeker. On the final approach, the missile climbs to a higher altitude to maximise the chances of hitting the target.
On impact, it penetrates the target before a delayed fuse detonates the main warhead. Powered by a turbo-jet engine, the 1,300kg Storm Shadow travels at speeds of more than 600mph, is just over five metres long and has a wingspan of three metres.
The UK first confirmed it would supply Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles in May last year. Then defence secretary Ben Wallace had touted that the weapons would give Ukraine the “best chance” of defending itself. Ukraine has deployed Storm Shadow missiles on several occasions during the war. In June last year, the then-defence secretary Ben Wallace told parliament that the missiles were already having a “significant impact on the battlefield”.
Storm Shadow missiles have also been used by British and French air forces in the Gulf, Iraq and Libya.
Condemning president Mr Biden’s decision, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated earlier warnings from Russian president Vladimir Putin saying that any strikes on Russian soil using US weapons would be interpreted as direct Nato involvement.
According to Russia’s Tass news agency, he said: “If such a decision has indeed been formulated and communicated to the Kyiv regime, then, of course, this is a qualitatively new round of escalation of tensions and a qualitatively new situation in terms of the involvement of the United States in this conflict.”
Until now, long-range missiles have been limited to Russian targets operating inside Ukraine, as well as in occupied Crimea. The missiles were likely used in the largest Ukrainian attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol in Crimea last year.
In his evening address on Sunday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the missiles would “speak for themselves”. He said: “Today, many in the media are saying that we have received permission to take appropriate actions. But strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced.”
The US, which has provided Ukraine with the longest-range version of the ATACMS, a ballistic missile capable of travelling 190 miles, has been cautious to fire long-range missiles into Russia for fear of a reaction from Moscow that would intensify the conflict. They are believed to be especially apprehensive that Russia may respond by deploying nuclear weapons.
Mr Biden changed his mind, US officials told The New York Times, after North Korea sent troops to support Mr Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Speaking on Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not reference Mr Biden’s decisions but denounced Western involvement in Ukraine and warned of the potential for “World War III.”
Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy head of the Russian upper house’s international affairs committee, also said Washington’s decision could lead to world war.
