U.S. President Joe Biden has reportedly allowed Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the United States to strike inside Russia, in response to the participation of North Korean troops. 

The New York Times reported on Sunday that in a major change of policy, Biden authorized the use of missiles known as Army Tactical Missile Systems(ATACMS) with a range of 300 kilometers to strike targets in Russia. 

U.S. officials reportedly said the missiles are likely to be used against Russian and North Korean soldiers to protect Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk region. 

The officials reportedly added that Biden’s approval came in response to Russia’s decision to allow North Korean soldiers to fight in Ukraine.

For months, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the U.S. to lift restrictions on the use of ATACMS missiles, allowing Kyiv to strike outside the country’s borders.