It happened fast, but it had been brewing for years. In late 2024, the world woke up to headlines that changed the math of the war in Europe. Joe Biden finally pulled the trigger on a decision he’d spent nearly three years avoiding. He gave Ukraine the green light to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles—specifically the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS—to strike targets deep inside Russian territory.
Honestly, the timing was everything. With only two months left in his term and President-elect Donald Trump waiting in the wings, Biden’s move felt like a "last bang" of a policy that had been defined by caution. For months, Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been practically begging for this. He argued that you can’t win a fight if you aren't allowed to hit the guy punching you from across the street.
The "street" in this case was the Russian border. Until that moment, Ukraine could only use these 190-mile-range missiles on occupied territory like Crimea. Russia’s actual soil was a "red line" Washington wouldn't cross.
Then the North Koreans showed up.
Why Biden Approves Long Range Missiles Now
The catalyst wasn't just Ukrainian persistence. It was the sudden appearance of thousands of North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region. To the White House, this was a massive escalation from Moscow’s side. They saw it as an internationalization of the conflict that required a "clear message."
By allowing ATACMS strikes, the administration hoped to do two things:
- Deter Pyongyang. Basically, tell Kim Jong Un that his soldiers were going to be sitting ducks for high-precision American steel.
- Protect the Kursk Incursion. Ukraine had seized a chunk of Russian land in August, and Biden wanted to make sure they could hold it as a bargaining chip for future peace talks.
It’s kinda wild when you think about it. For years, the fear of "World War III" kept these missiles locked in a metaphorical cage. Then, almost overnight, that fear was outweighed by the fear of Ukraine losing its last bit of leverage.
The Missile That Changed the Map
We aren't talking about huge, lumbering rockets here. The ATACMS is a piece of work. It’s a supersonic ballistic missile that can be fired from the HIMARS launchers Ukraine already has. It carries a "unitary" warhead (one big boom) or cluster munitions (hundreds of little booms).
The GPS guidance is scary accurate. We're talking about hitting a specific building from 300 kilometers away.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Escalation
There’s this idea that Biden approves long range missiles and suddenly Moscow is going to be leveled. That’s just not the reality on the ground. The initial permission was reportedly quite narrow, focused mostly on the Kursk region where the North Korean troops were stationed.
📖 Related: Gallatin County Jail Bozeman Montana: What Most People Get Wrong
Also, Russia isn't stupid. They saw this coming.
For months, as the debate raged in Washington, the Russian military moved their most valuable assets—like fighter jets and major ammo dumps—further back. They literally pushed them out of the 300km "kill zone" of the ATACMS.
The "Salami Slicing" Strategy
Experts like Max Boot and William Alberque have pointed out that Biden’s approach has always been about "salami slicing." You give a little, see if Putin retaliates, then give a little more. We saw it with HIMARS, then Abrams tanks, then F-16s.
Each time, the Kremlin promised fire and brimstone. Each time, the red line just sort of... faded.
But this one felt different. Vladimir Putin himself said that using these missiles with U.S. satellite guidance meant NATO was "directly participating" in the war. He even went as far as updating Russia's nuclear doctrine to say that a conventional attack backed by a nuclear power (the U.S.) could be met with a nuclear response.
That’s some heavy stuff.
The Trump Factor
You can’t talk about this without mentioning the 2024 election. Critics of the Biden administration called this move "Trump-proofing." By the time the authorization came, Donald Trump had already won his second term.
Trump’s team was, predictably, not thrilled. They saw it as a deliberate attempt to handicap their "24-hour peace plan." If the war escalates now, it’s much harder to force everyone to the negotiating table in January.
The strategy was basically to give Ukraine the strongest possible hand before the transition. If Kyiv can hold Russian territory and degrade Russian logistics now, they have more to trade when the talking starts.
Real-World Impact: The First Strikes
It didn't take long for the "rockets to speak for themselves," as Zelenskyy put it. Within days of the approval, reports surfaced of strikes hitting Russian ammunition depots in places like Bryansk.
Wait, did it work?
🔗 Read more: Tropical Storm Andrea Path: What Really Happened When It Hit the East Coast
- Logistics: It forced Russia to stretch its supply lines. When your trucks have to drive an extra 100 miles because the local depot got vaporized, your frontline troops suffer.
- Morale: It gave Ukrainians a huge psychological boost. Knowing you can hit back matters.
- The North Korean response: It didn't stop the troops from being there, but it certainly made their deployment more dangerous and costly for Kim Jong Un.
The Counter-Argument: Is it Too Little, Too Late?
Many military analysts argue that this should have happened in 2023. By late 2024, the Russian army had already adapted. They built massive fortifications and decentralized their command structures.
There's also the "stockpile" problem. The U.S. doesn't have an infinite supply of ATACMS. We need them for our own potential conflicts (think Taiwan or the Middle East). Ukraine was only ever going to get a limited number—some say less than 50 or 60 at a time.
That’s a drop in the bucket for a war of this scale.
Actionable Insights for Following the Conflict
If you're trying to keep up with how this decision is actually playing out in 2026 and beyond, here is what you need to watch:
- Watch the Launchers, Not Just the Missiles. Russia is hunting the HIMARS and M270 platforms. If Ukraine loses the launchers, the missiles are just expensive paperweights.
- Monitor European Moves. Biden's approval usually gives cover for the UK and France to follow suit with their Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles. If London and Paris go all-in, the pressure on Moscow triples.
- The "Peace Table" Dynamics. Watch if Russia actually offers a ceasefire or if they double down. Usually, when Putin feels squeezed, he tries to escalate his way out of it.
- Domestic U.S. Policy. As the administration shifts, keep an eye on whether the "use" authorization is rescinded or quietly maintained.
The reality is that Biden approves long range missiles was a tactical shift that came at a moment of extreme strategic tension. It wasn't a "win button," but it did change the rules of the game just as the clock was running out.
💡 You might also like: Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judges: What Most People Get Wrong
To stay informed, follow updates from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and look for verified footage of "deep strikes" on Russian military blogs (milbloggers). They are often the first to admit when something has actually been hit. Pay attention to whether the strikes move beyond the border regions and into the Russian heartland, as that will be the next major indicator of where this conflict is headed.