An article published on Thursday in Politico, citing three unnamed US officials, claimed that President Joe Biden’s administration has covertly authorized certain Ukrainian strikes within Russia using US-supplied weapons.
This secret policy change was implemented shortly after President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the US to lift such restrictions. The amendment specifically targets Russian military positions that are attacking or preparing to attack Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
“The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine can use U.S. weapons for counter-fire purposes in Kharkiv, enabling Ukraine to retaliate against Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them,” Politico quoted one of the American officials as saying. The source emphasized that the administration’s policy against allowing long-range strikes inside Russia “has not changed.”
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken may have hinted at the policy shift by stating that the administration was “adapting” to battlefield developments and suggesting that minor adjustments to the US stance could be imminent.
Politico concluded: “In effect, Ukraine can now use American-provided weapons, such as rockets and rocket launchers, to intercept launched Russian missiles heading toward Kharkiv, target troops massing just over the Russian border near the city, or engage Russian bombers launching attacks on Ukrainian territory. However, the official clarified that Ukraine cannot use these weapons to strike civilian infrastructure or launch long-range missiles, like the Army Tactical Missile System, at military targets deep inside Russia.”
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