President Biden (D) has Authorized Ukraine to use U.S. Long-Range Missiles for Strikes inside Russia. The Weapons are likely to be initially employed against Russian and North Korean Troops in defense of Ukrainian Forces in the Kursk Region of western Russia.
Allowing the Ukrainians to use the long-range missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), came in response to Russia’s Decision to bring North Korean Troops into the Fight.
Biden began to ease Restrictions on the use of U.S.-supplied Weapons on Russian Soil, after Russia launched a Cross-Border Assault in May, in the Direction of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s Second-Largest City. One of the Goals of the Policy Change, is to send a Message to the North Koreans that their Forces are Vulnerable, and that they should Not send more of them.
The Russian Military is launching a Major Assault by an estimated 50,000 Soldiers, including North Korean Troops, on dug-in Ukrainian Positions in Kursk, with the Goal of retaking All of the Russian Territory that the Ukrainians seized in August.
The Ukrainians could use the ATACMS Missiles to strike Russian and North Korean Troop concentrations, key pieces of Military equipment, Logistics nodes, Ammunition Depots and Supply lines deep inside Russia. Doing so could help the Ukrainians blunt the Effectiveness of the Russian-North Korean Assault.
Allowing Long-Range Strikes on Russian territory, using American Missiles, could Change that equation. In August, the Ukrainians launched their Own Cross-Border Assault into the Kursk Region, where they Seized a swath of Russian Territory.
The Ukrainians hope that they would be able to Trade any Russian Territory they hold in Kursk, for Ukrainian Territory held by Russia in any future Negotiations.
The British and French Militaries have given the Ukrainians, a limited number of Storm Shadow and SCALP Missiles, which have a range of about 155 miles, less than the American Missile system.
Officials said Biden was persuaded to make the Change, in part by the sheer Audacity of Russia’s Decision to throw North Korean Troops at Ukrainian Lines. He was also swayed by concerns that the Russian Assault Force would be able to overwhelm Ukrainian Troops in Kursk, if they were Not allowed to Defend themselves with Long-Range Weapons.
Biden determined that the potential Benefits, Ukraine will be able to reach certain High-Value Targets. that it would Not otherwise be able to, and the U.S. will be able to send a Message to North Korea, that it will Pay a significant Price for its Involvement, outweighed the EWscalation Risks.
Biden faced a similar Dilemma a year ago, when U.S. Intelligence agencies learned that the North Koreans would supply Russia with Long-Range Ballistic Missiles.
In that case, Biden agreed to supply several hundred :ong-Range ATACMS to the Ukrainians, for use on Ukraine’s Sovereign Territory, including the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. Those Supplemented included, limited supplies of Storm Shadow and SCALP Missiles, that the Ukrainians received from Britain and France.
The Ukrainians have since used many of those Missiles in a concerted Campaign of Strikes against Russian Military Targets in Crimea, and in the Black Sea. As a result, it is Unclear how many of the Missiles the Ukrainians have left in their Arsenal to use in the Kursk Tegion.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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