Joe Biden allows Ukraine to use long-range US missiles for first time against Russia

US president Joe Biden has allowed the first use of long-range US missiles by Ukraine to intensify its strikes on Russia, US officials said on Monday.

This comes as Russia launched one of the "largest strikes on Ukraine" with "210 missiles and drones, including aeroballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as dozens of Shahed drones, were launched. All of them targeted civilian infrastructure—critical facilities like power plants and transformers."

Zelenskyy called upon the G20 nations to "not to turn a blind eye to Russia’s continued terror." "Only when the world reacts decisively can the situation change. Russia has involved North Korea in its war—and the reaction has been weak. Russia has continued its terror for nearly 1,000 days—and the world’s decisions are still delayed," he said in a post on X.

This morning began with one of the largest Russian strikes on Ukraine. 210 missiles and drones, including aeroballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as dozens of Shahed drones, were launched. All of them targeted civilian infrastructure—critical facilities like power plants… pic.twitter.com/PriNcqjJ8C

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 17, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly pressed Washington for approval to deploy the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) against targets inside Russia.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned that such a move would effectively mark Nato as being "at war" with Russia — a warning he has issued before whenever Western nations have escalated their military support for Ukraine.