How Biden Has Changed The Game, Ukraine Gets Green Light For US Arms To Strike Russia. Russia Talks Tough, Is World War 3 On The Horizon?

In a move that could redefine the contours of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Biden administration has approved Ukraine’s use of US-made weapons for strikes deep inside Russian territory. This policy shift, confirmed by US officials on Sunday, marks a dramatic escalation in a war that has already reshaped global geopolitics—and it has the world holding its breath.

The green light reportedly allows Ukraine to conduct long-range strikes, a capability that could see action in the coming days. Kyiv is expected to deploy ATACMS rockets, capable of hitting targets up to 190 miles away. While the details remain shrouded for security reasons, the implications are loud and clear, the rules of engagement are changing.

Why Now?

This decision comes amid troubling developments on the battlefield. Russia has allegedly brought in North Korean ground troops to reinforce its own military, a move that has caused alarm from Washington to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has long lobbied for expanded military support, and with Russia gaining ground, Biden’s team seems to be making a calculated gamble—one that aims to bolster Ukraine’s position ahead of potential ceasefire negotiations.

But the twist, Biden’s term is winding down, and President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office in just two months. Trump has been a vocal critic of US military aid to Ukraine, promising to end the war quickly—though without offering specifics. Whether Trump will reverse this policy remains unclear.

While Biden’s move has drawn applause from some corners of Congress, including Republicans who believe the US needs to help Ukraine fight from a “position of strength,” others are less convinced. Critics argue that the decision risks dragging the US deeper into a conflict that’s becoming increasingly unpredictable.

A Gamble on the Brink

There’s no sugarcoating it—this decision is a gamble. On one hand, it could strengthen Ukraine’s hand, forcing Russia to negotiate on less favorable terms. On the other, it could provoke a more aggressive response from Moscow, pushing the conflict into uncharted—and dangerous—territory.

With Trump’s inauguration looming, the world is watching closely. His foreign policy team has already criticized Biden’s move, with close adviser Richard Grenell calling it an unnecessary escalation. Yet, Biden’s administration seems determined to use its final weeks to tip the scales, perhaps sensing that this window of opportunity may soon close.

The Turning Point For Biden

For months, the Biden administration had been cautious, restricting Kyiv’s use of Western weapons within Russia’s borders to avoid triggering a broader escalation. But the entry of over 10,000 North Korean troops reportedly deployed to bolster Russian forces in the Kursk region and despite heavy losses, Russia is advancing at a pace not seen since the early days of its 2022 invasion, appears to have tipped the scales.

Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, noted, “President Biden responded to the entry of North Korean troops into the war and the massive Russian missile strike in a language that V. Putin understands — by removing restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western missiles.”

The decision allows Ukraine to employ ATACMS tactical missiles for long-range strikes, a capability Kyiv has long demanded. Analysts like Alex Plitsas of the Atlantic Council argue this move should have come much earlier: “Removing targeting restrictions will allow the Ukrainians to stop fighting with one hand tied behind their back… but like everything else, history will say the decision came way too late.”

Russia Talks Tough

The Kremlin’s response has been swift and ominous. Russian lawmakers have warned that this escalation brings the world dangerously close to a global conflict.

Andrei Klishas, a senior member of Russia’s upper chamber of parliament, stated, “The West has decided on such a level of escalation that it could end with the Ukrainian statehood in complete ruins by morning.”

Leonid Slutsky, chairman of Russia’s State Duma foreign affairs committee, warned that strikes deep into Russian territory could “inevitably entail serious escalation, threatening much more dire consequences.”

President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that Western support enabling strikes within Russia will be viewed as a direct confrontation, forcing Moscow to take “appropriate decisions.”

Ukraine’s Position

Ukraine, already struggling with personnel shortages, has lost ground it had reclaimed in its August offensive. Reports indicate that Ukrainian forces have clashed with North Korean troops in the Kursk region, highlighting the evolving complexity of the conflict.

The timing of this US decision comes as Ukraine is fighting an uphill battle, with its August gains slipping away and morale teetering under the weight of Russian advances. Critics of the Biden administration argue that a proactive approach—delivering advanced weaponry earlier—could have prevented such setbacks.

While the US and its allies hope this policy reversal will empower Ukraine to negotiate from a position of strength, there are no guarantees. NATO allies remain cautious, fearing that escalating the war could provoke retaliation against member states or, worse, spark a nuclear conflict.

This calculated risk has divided opinion. Advocates see it as a long-overdue step toward leveling the playing field. Skeptics warn of unintended consequences that could spiral into a full-scale global war.

Russia Unleashes A Night of Terror

Meanwhile, in the heaviest attacks in months, Russia launched a “massive” aerial offensive against Ukraine on Sunday, killing at least nine people and leaving destruction in its wake. Ukrainian officials described the assault as “hellish,” with missiles and drones targeting multiple regions across the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Moscow had unleashed 120 missiles and nearly 100 drones, hitting areas from Kyiv to southern, central, and western Ukraine. Civilian casualties were reported in the Mykolaiv, Lviv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa regions.

Yuriy Ignat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s air force, called it a “hellish night,” noting that Ukraine’s defenses managed to shoot down 144 targets. Despite these efforts, the strikes caused widespread destruction and power outages, stoking fears of a harsh winter ahead.

“This is one of the largest attacks since the beginning of the invasion,” Zelensky said, adding, “Over the past week, Russia has used nearly 140 missiles, more than 900 guided aerial bombs, and over 600 strike drones. They aim to intimidate us with cold and blackouts.”

The strikes left a trail of devastation across Ukraine –

–In Kherson, a 51-year-old woman was killed by a drone.
–Mykolaiv saw two women killed and seven others injured, including two children.
–In Nikopol, two railway employees died when a depot was struck, with three others wounded.
–Odesa reported two fatalities and a teenager injured.
–In the Lviv region, a 66-year-old woman was killed in her car near the Polish border, prompting NATO member Poland to scramble fighter jets and mobilize its forces.

Energy Grid Under Siege

Ukraine’s energy infrastructure bore the brunt of the attack. Emergency power cuts were imposed in Kyiv and two eastern regions. President Zelensky lamented that Russia’s unrelenting strikes have destroyed half of Ukraine’s energy production capacity.

Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko confirmed that Russian forces targeted electricity generation and transmission facilities across the country. With winter fast approaching, Ukraine faces severe energy shortfalls while battling steady territorial losses to Russian forces.

International Reactions

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiga, blasted the attacks, calling them “war criminal Putin’s true response to recent diplomatic outreach.” He emphasized the need for “peace through strength, not appeasement.”

The strikes coincided with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirming his country’s unwavering support for Ukraine. “Ukraine can count on us,” Scholz said, adding that no decisions about the war’s end would be made without Kyiv’s involvement.

However, questions linger about how Western support might shift with the impending return of Donald Trump to the White House in January. Trump has criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine, leaving many Ukrainians fearful that support for rebuilding their energy grid and bolstering defenses may dwindle.

Russia claimed its strikes targeted “essential energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.” Moscow also reported a civilian casualty in its Belgorod region, where a man was allegedly killed by a Ukrainian drone.

As Ukraine braces for a grueling winter and continues its fight against a relentless adversary, the question is will Western allies provide the support Kyiv needs to endure, or will shifts in global politics leave Ukraine further isolated? With the toll on civilians mounting and the energy grid crumbling, Ukraine’s survival depends on immediate and decisive international action.

Is World War 3 On the Horizon?

As Russian lawmakers talk tough and the battlefield becomes increasingly volatile, the possibility of World War 3 feels less like a hypothetical and more like a looming shadow.

The Biden administration’s decision may have shifted the dynamics of this war, but it’s a move that raises more questions than answers: Can Ukraine halt Russia’s advances? Will Putin escalate his threats into action? And most hauntingly—has this move come too late to change the course of history?

Only time will tell, but for now, one thing is clear, the game has changed and with it, the risks have never been higher even as the world watches with bated breath.