The armed forces of Ukraine can use American weapons to attack Russian forces anywhere on the border territory of the Russian Federation, not only those bordering the Kharkiv region.
Pentagon representative General Patrick Ryder said this at a briefing, Reuters reports.
"The ability to return fire in the event of shelling is what this policy is aimed at [...] as we see Russian forces firing across the border, Ukraine can return fire at these ground forces using US-supplied munitions [...]. Itʼs self-defense, so it makes sense to be able to do it," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also said that the agreement with Ukraine on striking Russia with American weapons applies to "any place where Russian troops cross the border."
Previously, US officials said that Ukraine has permission to hit Russian forces with American weapons only near Kharkiv region, where Russian troops are trying to advance from the northern border.
In recent weeks, Russia has threatened to launch an attack on the Sumy region, which borders the Russian Federation. If that happens, the policy of allowing strikes with US-provided weapons will apply there as well.
- On May 30, 2024, it became known that US President Joe Biden gave permission to Ukraine to strike Russian territory with American weapons, but with certain restrictions — the strikes must be against military targets in the border regions to protect Kharkiv Oblast.
- Financial Times journalist Christopher Miller wrote that Ukraine applied for permission to stop the offensive on Kharkiv Oblast on May 13. Two days later, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan explained to Joe Biden why the clearance should be granted, and he agreed, asking his team to work out the details. State Secretary Anthony Blinken also started promoting this idea after returning from Kyiv on May 17. At the end of May, the US leader approved the decision, and it entered into force on May 30.
- Ukraine can freely use American GMLRS rockets, HIMARS artillery missile systems and other artillery. The authorization does not extend to ATACMS surface-to-surface long-range missiles.
- On June 1, the American magazine Forbes wrote that the Defense Forces began to fire American weapons at Russian military targets in Belgorod region almost immediately after the US permission. On the night of May 31, HIMARS attacked the territory of the Russian Federation for the first time.