Biden Pushes World to Brink of “World War III” by Allowing Kyiv to Deploy Long-Range Missiles, Warns Russia
Joe Biden is “pouring gasoline on the fire” in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the Kremlin warned this Monday after learning that two months before leaving office, the president of the United States had given Ukraine permission to attack military objectives on Russian territory with long-range American missiles. Several Russian politicians assert that with this decision, Biden is putting the world “on the brink of World War III.”
If this decision is confirmed by the Washington government, “of course it is a new increase in tension and represents a qualitatively new situation in the participation of the United States in this conflict,” said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Peskov pointed out that this decision had been announced by anonymous officials of the US Administration to various media outlets, and that the report from The New York Times lacks reference to official sources.
Russian Deputy María Bútina Believes Trump Will Reverse the Decision
Previously, several Russian politicians reacted with criticism towards the United States and assured that Biden puts the world at risk of a major confrontation. “This is a significant step towards the start of the Third World War,” Vladimir Dhabárov, vice president of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Federation Council (Upper House of Parliament), told the Tass news agency.
María Bútina, a representative and former prisoner in the US for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, gave her perspective by stating, “These guys from the Biden administration are trying to aggravate the situation as much as possible while they still have power.” She expressed her “great hope” that the newly elected president, Donald Trump, “will reverse the decision, because they are seriously risking the beginning of World War III, which is in no one’s interest.”
Kyiv Could Use the US-Made ATACMS, with a Range of 300 km
Biden’s decision reportedly allows Ukraine to utilize Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) missiles, which have a range of 300 kilometers, against military targets on Russian territory.
Moreover, Russian deputy Andrey Kartapolov, who chairs the Defense Commission of the Duma (Lower House of Parliament), attempted to downplay the decision by asserting, “This will not change the course of the (military) operation at all; absolutely nothing.”
“The West has decided to aggravate the conflict to such a level that it could end up with the Ukrainian state in ruins overnight,” wrote Russian senator Andrei Klishas on Telegram when it became evident that Washington could authorize Ukraine to use long-range missiles on Russian territory.
Several high-ranking officials in the Biden Administration communicated on Sunday that the United States has finally complied with one of the long-standing demands of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, resulting in the permission to use long-range missiles to target Russia.
Context of the Announcement Following Harris’ Loss to Trump
This decision comes just two weeks after Vice President Kamala Harris lost the presidential election to Donald Trump, who has been a vocal critic of US military aid to Ukraine.
The ATACMS missiles from the US should initially be focused on the Russian border region of Kursk, much of which has been under Ukrainian control since their operation last August.
According to the US, South Korea, and Ukraine, several thousand North Korean soldiers sent to Russia to assist Moscow have been deployed in that region. This acknowledgment was initially dismissed by the Kremlin as “absurd,” though they later avoided making a clear denial.
Putin Warned That Russia Would Consider NATO’s Involvement if Ukraine Used Long-Range Missiles
According to The New York Times, which cites US officials on the condition of anonymity, the authorization for Ukraine is a direct reaction to the presence of North Korean troops in the region.
So far, the US and its allies have refrained from permitting Kyiv to utilize long-range weapons on Russian soil to prevent the conflict from escalating beyond Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin stated on September 12 that such a decision would imply “the direct participation of NATO countries, the United States, and European nations in the war in Ukraine,” as the guidance and launch of these missiles require NATO infrastructure and personnel.
In October, Putin assured that the Russian Defense Ministry was already tasked with devising multiple ways to respond if the US and NATO facilitated Ukraine’s strikes into Russia using long-range missiles.
