By allowing Kiev to use American weapons against targets in Russia, the Biden administration has made a major change of course in the war in Ukraine. Germany also followed suit on Friday. Although the use of Western weapons remains severely limited, the relaxation by Washington and Berlin could be of great benefit to Ukraine in defending the embattled city of Kharkiv.
Washington has quietly relaxed its ban on the use of US-made weapons against targets in Russia. To defend the Ukrainian city of Kharkov, which is currently under heavy attack, counter-attacks on Russian territory are allowed, Politico magazine reported. Ukraine’s military should be able to take action against Russian forces “attacking them or preparing to attack them,” a US government official said.
Strikes at command posts allowed
Ukraine may use American-made artillery, guided bombs and missiles to hit Russian military targets across the border in the Belgorod region. Authorized targets include command posts, weapons depots, concentrations of Russian forces and enemy artillery and missiles. In addition, Ukraine may also use American weapons to attack Russian bombers that want to drop their deadly cargo on Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine is still not allowed to use long-range weapons such as ATACMS missiles. Civilian infrastructure in Russia also remains taboo. The Belgorod border area is considered an important deployment area for the Russian army. Rocket attacks are also repeatedly launched from there.
Russia must reconsider troop movements
These relaxations are of great importance to Australian military expert Mick Ryan. Ukraine can thus use better weapons against aircraft that want to attack with missiles or glide bombs, writes in his blog on Substack. The Russian military will also be forced to reconsider its troop movements if Ukraine can now reach positions in Russia, Ryan said. This also applies to troop concentrations in other Russian regions. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently emphasized that support to Ukraine will be continuously adjusted to battlefield conditions. It is entirely possible that the US will further relax its restrictions in the future.
Stoltenberg sees no risk of escalation
The Kremlin recently threatened the West with retaliation if it allowed Ukraine to use its weapons against targets in Russia. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg still sees no risk of escalation. “Russia escalated itself by attacking another country,” Stoltenberg said on Friday on the sidelines of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Prague. The same applies to the attacks on the Kharkov region.
Berlin allows the use of German weapons
After the American turnaround, Stoltenberg increased pressure on Germany and other countries to also relax restrictions on the use of their weapons. The response was prompt: the federal government in Berlin is now allowing Ukraine to use German-supplied weapons against military targets in Russia, as government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit announced.
“Together we believe that Ukraine has the right under international law to defend itself against these attacks,” he said. For this purpose it could also use the weapons supplied by Germany. Berlin supplied, among other things, the self-propelled howitzer 2000 and the Mars II system to Ukraine.
Last night it became clear how important an efficient defense of Kharkov is: the city was again hit by rockets and, according to Ukrainian information, four people were killed and 25 injured. S-300 and S-400 missiles were fired from Belgorod. Five strikes were registered, all in the city’s Novobavarsky district, the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform reported.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
