Hrs after 'hellish' Russian attack, Biden allows Ukraine to hit back

Biden administration has lifted restrictions that had blocked Ukraine from using US-provided weapons to strike deep into Russian territory

- Agencies

President Joe Biden's administration has lifted restrictions that had blocked Ukraine from using US-provided weapons to strike deep into Russian territory, said three sources familiar with the matter, in a significant change to US policy in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Ukraine plans long-range attacks soon, likely with ATACMS rockets, which have a range of up to 306 kilometers, amid concerns over Russia deploying North Korean troops.

Russia on Sunday launched a massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine, described by officials as the largest in recent months, targeting energy infrastructure and killing civilians.

The attack came as fears are mounting about Moscow's intentions to devastate Ukraine's power generation capacity ahead of the winter.

The move by the US, which comes just over two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, comes after months of requests by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to allow Ukraine's military to use US weapons to hit Russian military targets far from its border.

Zelensky said that Russia had launched a total of 120 missiles and 90 drones in a large-scale attack across Ukraine.