Moscow Issues Stark Warning to US After Biden Allegedly Approves Ukrainian Long-Range Strikes on Russian Soil

The Kremlin has issued a stark warning to the United States following President Joe Biden’s reported decision to allow Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia, The Associated Press reports.

The change in US policy, confirmed to the news outlet by US officials on Sunday, marks a significant departure from previous restrictions. For months, Washington had refrained from authorizing such strikes, fearing escalation and a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO. The exact parameters of the new guidelines remain unclear.

This decision comes amidst escalating concerns about Russia’s military advancements and the reported presence of North Korean troops on Russian soil assisting in the war effort. Simultaneously, Russia is making slow but steady gains in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by referencing a September statement by President Vladimir Putin, who warned that allowing Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory would dramatically escalate the conflict, potentially bringing the US and Europe into direct war with Russia. Peskov further alleged that Western nations are providing targeting assistance to Kyiv, significantly deepening their involvement in the conflict.

Last June, Putin similarly warned that Moscow would supply long-range weapons to other nations to attack Western targets in retaliation for NATO support for Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. He reiterated Moscow’s readiness to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty is perceived to be threatened.

The policy change also introduces uncertainty given President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration. Trump has expressed skepticism about continued US military aid to Ukraine and pledged a swift end to the war, casting doubt on the long-term implications of Biden’s decision.