Why did Biden alter his policy regarding the attack deep within Russian territory, and what impact will it have?

 Why did Biden alter his policy regarding the attack deep within Russian territory, and what impact will it have?

US President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

This marks the first time the United States has granted official approval for attacks deep within Russian territory using long-range missiles. According to CBS News, the U.S. has now authorized Ukraine to carry out such strikes using American-made ATACMS missiles. This decision was communicated to Kiev by the outgoing Biden administration.

Previously, Washington had opposed such actions, concerned that allowing Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory could further escalate the conflict in Ukraine.

"No face-to-face attack... the missiles will speak for themselves," said Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine.

At this moment, the U.S. administration has shifted from its previous policy, just as President Joe Biden is preparing to hand over power in a few months. Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated as the new president on January 20. However, Trump has raised objections to continuing military aid to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have used ATACMS missiles to strike airfields in Russian-occupied Crimea and military installations in the Zaporizhzhya region. However, until now, Washington had refrained from allowing Ukraine to launch long-range missiles targeting Russian territory itself.

Why did Biden allow it?

Ukraine has been using the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) on the battlefield for more than a year, but until now, those missiles were used exclusively to strike Russian targets within Ukrainian territory—not inside Russia itself.

"We are concerned. We hope that he (Trump) will come and not change the decision," said Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian MP.

In recent attacks, Ukrainian forces have used ATACMS missiles to target airfields in Russian-occupied Crimea and military installations in the Zaporizhzhya region. However, Washington had previously refrained from approving strikes on Russian soil using long-range missiles.

Among the most powerful weapons provided to Ukraine so far are the Lockheed Martin ballistic missiles, capable of hitting targets up to 300 kilometers (about 186 miles) away.

A key factor behind the policy shift may be recent developments involving North Korea. News reports indicate that North Korean troops have been deployed in the Kursk region, along the Russia-Ukraine border, to assist Russian forces in the conflict. This area has been under Ukrainian control since last August, raising further concerns in Washington about the evolving dynamics of the war.

Ukraine argued that preventing the use of long-range weapons on Russian soil effectively tied its hands in the fight, limiting its ability to defend itself effectively.

A key factor behind Washington's policy shift may be recent developments involving North Korea. Reports have surfaced that North Korean troops have been deployed to the Kursk region, on the Russia-Ukraine border, to assist Russian forces in the war. Ukraine has controlled this region since last August, further complicating the battlefield dynamics.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet made an official statement confirming the Biden administration's approval. However, on Sunday, he remarked, "There is no face-to-face attack... the missiles will speak for themselves."

What will the effect be?

Currently, Ukrainian forces control over 1,000 square kilometers of the Kursk region, and with the new authorization, they can now launch attacks within that area.

U.S. officials suggest that the Ukrainian military could use ATACMS missiles to defend against potential counterattacks from both Russian and North Korean forces. Russian troops may soon initiate an offensive to reclaim lost territory, possibly in the coming days.

Now, Ukrainian forces can directly target Russian troops, infrastructure, and ammunition stockpiles in the Kursk region. While the delivery of ATACMS missiles alone may not shift the war’s overall momentum, it significantly strengthens Ukraine's position.

"I don't think it will be decisive for the war," a Western diplomat in Kiev told the BBC on condition of anonymity. "But it could increase Russia’s war costs."

Will the war expand?

For months, the Biden administration’s primary concern was that allowing Ukraine to launch long-range missile strikes inside Russian territory could escalate the conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also warned that such attacks, using Western weapons, would be viewed as "direct participation" by NATO in the war against Moscow.

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker argued that by limiting the range of U.S. weapons available to Ukraine, the U.S. administration had imposed unnecessary and unjustified restrictions on Ukraine’s right to self-defense.

The diplomat also described the previous decision to restrict the use of ATACMS missiles as "purely arbitrary" and driven by a fear of provoking Russia.

How will Trump react?

As Joe Biden navigates a period of political transition, just months before handing over power to Donald Trump, he has made a significant policy shift regarding the Ukraine war.

It remains uncertain whether this policy will be maintained once Trump takes office in January. However, several of Trump’s closest allies have already voiced criticism of Biden’s decision to alter the approach to the conflict in Ukraine.President-elect Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., took to social media to express his concerns, writing, "The military-industrial complex wants to start World War III before my father has a chance to make peace and save lives."

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