US media claim that Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russia – Diario La Página –

United States media reported this Sunday afternoon that President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles for limited attacks within Russian territory.

The Washington Post, The New York Times and the AP agency, among others, cite government officials in their respective reports, on condition of anonymity. So far, neither the White House nor the Pentagon have confirmed it, nor has the Ukrainian Government of Volodimir Zelensky.

According to sources cited by The Washington Post, Biden’s permission to use American weapons is, mainly, in response to the North Korean regime sending thousands of soldiers to Ukraine to reinforce Vladimir Putin’s troops.

These officials assure that Washington’s decision is also a signal for dictator Kim Jong-un not to send more troops. “This initial deployment has been a costly mistake,” one of the officials told that North American media.

Along these lines – about the supposed response to the sending of North Korean troops – the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity with The New York Times and AP spoke.

The authorized weapons are specifically supersonic guided missiles called ATACMS that can carry conventional or cluster warheads, and have a range of about 300 kilometers.

According to the Washington Post, use of the missiles will initially focus on the Kursk region. However, according to sources familiar with the matter, the scope of operations could be expanded if necessary.

In this way, if the information is confirmed, Biden would be acceding to the request that Zelensky has been making for months, arguing that only weapons like this can significantly degrade Russian military capacity and give Ukraine a certain advantage on the ground.

Until recently, the Biden administration was staunchly opposed to allowing Ukraine to use US missiles to attack on Russian soil, citing the risk of disproportionate escalation by the Kremlin. However, the growing involvement of foreign troops, especially North Korean ones, has forced us to reconsider this position.

Some 10,000 elite North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia’s Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine, to reinforce Moscow’s offensive and recapture territories won by kyiv in August. The Biden administration fears that more North Korean troops could join the conflict, which would have led to this strategic adjustment in military assistance to Ukraine.

Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, confirmed from Brussels the commitment of the outgoing Biden administration to maximize aid to Ukraine before January 20, the date on which President-elect Donald Trump will take office. “Every dollar available will be used to strengthen Ukraine,” Blinken said.

The decision to send ATACMS also seeks to ensure that Ukraine is in a strong position ahead of potential peace negotiations that Trump could lead. However, experts such as Michael Kofman of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace warn that the impact on the battlefield will be limited due to the reduced reserves of these missiles.

However, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin warned that the use of ATACMS on Russian soil constitutes a “red line.” In September, Moscow adjusted its nuclear doctrine in what was seen as a veiled threat to the United States and its allies if military aid escalated.

With the arrival of North Korean troops, there are fears that the conflict could prolong and escalate even further. Ukraine, which has relied on Western aid, seeks to preserve its strategic advantage in the Kursk region, while Russia attempts to consolidate its positions in eastern Ukraine.

The political landscape in Washington and the presidential transition add a layer of uncertainty about the continuity of the policy of support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, the change in the Biden administration’s stance reflects the urgency of countering the foreign military support that Russia has obtained in recent weeks – and months.

In addition to North Korean troops, the Pyongyang regime also sends large quantities of missiles and ammunition to Moscow. Days ago, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Jong-hyn revealed that North Korea sent more than 1,000 missiles and millions of pieces of ammunition to Putin’s troops.

NATO also recently spoke out demanding the regimes of Russia and North Korea to “immediately” stop the deployment of North Korean soldiers on Russian territory to support Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

The Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, said that the deployment of North Korean troops represents “a significant escalation in North Korea’s current involvement in Russia’s illegal war,” “another violation of Security Council resolutions of the UN” and “a dangerous expansion of Russia’s war.”

In line with what Seoul stated, Rutte maintained that Pyongyang provided Moscow with “millions of rounds of ammunition and ballistic missiles that are fueling a serious conflict in the heart of Europe and undermining global peace and security.” He added that in return, Putin is providing Kim Jong-un with military technology and “other support to circumvent international sanctions.”

“The deployment of North Korean troops to Kursk is also a sign of Putin’s growing desperation. “More than 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Putin’s war and he is unable to maintain his assault on Ukraine without foreign support,” he stressed. And he concluded: “NATO allies will continue to support a free and democratic Ukraine, because the security of Ukraine is our security,” he commented.