White House confirms AFU has authorization to attack Russian Federation with ATACMS

The White House on November 25 confirmed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has permission to use US long-range ATACMS missiles for strikes against Russia.

"They (Ukraine. - Ed.) can use ATACMS to defend themselves in case of an emergency," John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator at the White House National Security Council, said at a closed press briefing.

He said the White House has changed guidance and instructed the Ukrainian army to be able to use ATACMS to attack specific types of targets, which include the Kursk region and surrounding areas.

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The New York Times reported on Nov. 17 that U.S. President Joe Biden had authorized Ukraine to use U.S. long-range missiles to strike Russia, but there was no official confirmation from Washington.

Later, on November 19, the Defense Ministry reported that calculations of S-400 air defense missile systems and the Pantsir air defense missile and cannon system in the Bryansk region shot down five ATACMS missiles fired by the AFU and damaged another. The wreckage of the latter fell on the territory of the military facility, without casualties or damage.

U.S. journalist, attorney and author Glenn Greenwald, in a conversation with journalist Tucker Carlson on November 20, pointed out that Biden's decision to use the U.S. ATACMS system by the Ukrainian army could lead to his impeachment because it involves the country in the Ukrainian conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reported on Nov. 21 that Ukraine had used Western long-range weapons against the Russian state, causing the regional conflict to take on elements of a global conflict. He also said that one of Russia's newest medium-range missile systems, the Oreshnik ballistic missile, had been tested under combat conditions.

At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian air defenses had shot down two Storm Shadow missiles launched by the Ukrainian side.

The special operation to protect Donbass, which began on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the background of the worsening situation in the region.