The Army Tactical Air Defense Missile System (ATACMS) is used during a joint South Korean-US exercise Photo: Handout / AFP
Russian lawmaker Maria Butina said on Monday that the decision of President Joe Biden’s administration to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles made in the United States “risks provoking World War III,” Reuters reports.
“The Biden administration is trying to escalate the situation to the maximum while it still has power. I hope that Trump will change this decision if he returns to power,” Butina said.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine’s use of such missiles would mean “NATO’s direct involvement in the war”.
The ATACMS missiles in question are capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 306 km. According to Reuters, the first long-range strikes may be carried out by Ukraine in the coming days.
This decision by the White House marks a significant change in the US approach to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
