(CLO) Russia and several other countries accused the US of escalating the conflict by allowing Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles to attack Russian territory.
US President Joe Biden has reportedly lifted restrictions on the use of long-range missiles against Kiev, meaning the Ukrainian military can fire US-made missiles into Russian territory for the first time.
This move caused not only Russia, but other countries including Hungary and North Korea, to accuse the US of "adding fuel to the fire".
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the decision meant Washington would become directly involved in the conflict, echoing a similar view expressed by President Vladimir Putin in September.
The White House and President-elect Donald Trump have yet to comment, but Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, said: "The military industrial complex appears to want to ensure the start of World War III before my father has a chance to bring peace and save lives."
Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20, repeatedly pledged during his election campaign to negotiate an end to the Ukraine crisis.
So what does the Biden administration's latest move mean and will it lead to an escalation of the Ukraine conflict?
Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS. Photo: AFP
Why did the US allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles in Russia?
For months, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pressuring Western allies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to be allowed to use missiles against Russia as Moscow's forces have made significant advances in eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the aim of these Western countries is to support Ukraine, especially in the Russian region that Ukraine has occupied, Kursk.
In March, the US secretly sent missiles to Ukraine, but Ukraine was not allowed to use them to attack inside Russian territory. By the end of April, Ukraine had used these missiles twice in Crimea, which had been annexed by Russia.
Mr Biden’s decision comes with just nine weeks left in his presidency, and his successor has promised to negotiate a quick end to the conflict, raising questions about whether the US, Ukraine’s biggest arms supplier, will continue to send military support.
There have been recent signs that the US will allow Ukraine to use the missiles. In September, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his British counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, visited Kiev and met with Mr Zelenskyy. In thanking the officials for their visit, Mr Zelenskyy posted on X: “It is important to listen to Ukraine’s arguments. This includes long-range weapons.”
A day before the visit, Mr Blinken told reporters in London that he and Mr Lammy would “listen closely” to the issue and report back. The same day, Mr Biden told reporters: “We’re working on that right now.”
What are these long range missiles?
The missiles supplied to Ukraine by the US are called the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). They have a range of 300 km and were first developed in the 1980s.
The ATACMS, built by US defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin, can be launched from the HIMARS launcher that the US sent to Ukraine around July 2022. The missile can also be launched from the US-made M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System, which the UK sent to Ukraine in 2022.
Before sending the longer-range ATACMS, the US sent Ukraine a shorter-range version capable of firing up to 165 km in October 2023.
Why are long-range missiles important to Ukraine?
Ukraine could use long-range tactical missiles to strike areas in Kursk, located on the Ukrainian border, as well as military equipment inside Russian territory.
According to The New York Times, US officials said Kiev is most likely to attack Russia in the area around Kursk. Ukrainian troops seized 28 settlements spanning about 1,000 square kilometers in Kursk in an offensive that took place in August.
“Ukraine needs to be able to attack Russian supply chains, which have been moved well beyond Ukraine’s current missile range,” said Timothy Ash, a fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House.
Ash speculated that the decision to give Kiev long-range strike capabilities could also be “intended to give Ukraine more leverage in future negotiations.”
How did Ukraine and Russia react?
In a speech on the evening of November 17, Mr. Zelenskyy said: "Today, many media outlets say that we have been allowed to take appropriate actions."
"Attacks are not made with words. The missiles will speak for themselves," he added.
Moscow said the decision on the missiles would lead to an increase in tensions. "If such a decision is really made to the Kiev authorities, this is a new round of tensions and a new situation in terms of US involvement in this conflict," Mr Peskov said.
“It is clear that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps to continue to add fuel to the fire and continue to raise tensions around this conflict,” he said.
Russian lawmaker Maria Butina said the move would risk sparking a global conflict. "I very much hope that Mr. Trump will reconsider this decision. This really risks sparking World War III, which is not in anyone's interest."
Two months ago, Mr Putin warned the West against using long-range missiles on Russian territory.
“If that is the case, then given the change in the nature of the conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats we will face,” Putin said on Russian state television at the time.
What happens next?
“It looks like Russia will escalate in the next few months before Trump takes office and is able to negotiate,” Ash predicted. “So Ukraine needs longer-range strike capabilities to weaken Russia’s strike capabilities.”
President Putin congratulated Mr Trump on his victory, praising the US president-elect as “courageous”, adding that he was ready to negotiate with Mr Trump. Despite this, Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine.
On November 18, Russia launched its largest missile and drone attack on Ukraine in months, targeting its energy infrastructure. At least 11 people were killed in the attack, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The UK and France, which have also supplied Ukraine with long-range Storm Shadow missiles, are believed to have allowed Kiev to strike inside Russian territory. The Storm Shadow, also known as SCALP, can hit targets up to 250km away.
The French newspaper Le Monde quoted the country's Foreign Minister as reporting that Paris is ready to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to attack Russian territory.
Hoai Phuong (according to AJ)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/vi-sao-ukraine-duoc-bat-den-xanh-tan-cong-tam-xa-nga-va-tiep-theo-la-gi-post321959.html
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