The White House this week officially confirmed Ukraine’s use of U.S.-made ATACMS missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia. White House National Security Advisor John Kirby told reporters that Ukraine can use ATACMS to defend itself on “an immediate-need basis.

The White House has officially confirmed permission for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles for strikes against Russia. This decision marks a significant step in supporting Ukraine, states White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby,

John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, confirmed during a briefing on Monday, 25 November, that Ukraine had received authorisation to launch long-range ATACMS missiles on targets in Russia.

ATACMS are generally referred to as long-range missiles, but "that is a subjective term," said the Times. ATACMS can travel further into Russian territory than any other Ukrainian weapons, but "cannot travel as far as a cruise missile or intercontinental ballistic missile."

The Ukrainians] are authorized to use ATACMS for self-defense when there is an immediate necessity, and clearly, that is happening in and around Kursk,” Kirby said. “We have adjusted the guidelines and instructed them that they can use [ATACMS missiles] to strike these types of targets.

"Right now, they (Ukrainian soldiers) have the ability to use ATACMS to defend themselves in an immediate-need basis. Understandably, that's taken place in and around Kursk Oblast," U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told journalists on Nov.

More than a million households in Ukraine were left without power after a “massive enemy attack” overnight by Russia, targeting critical energy infrastructure facilities, CNN reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Thursday that the air assault was in response to Ukrainian strikes in Russian territory using US-made ATACMS missiles.