After receiving approval from the Biden administration, Ukraine reportedly deployed U.S. High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to strike targets in the Russian city of Belgorod, situated 20 miles north of the Russia-Ukraine border.
"This is a crucial step that will allow us to better protect Ukraine and Ukrainians from Russian aggression," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated prior to the attack, according to Forbes.
The assault involved potentially dozens of 660-pound rockets, each capable of reaching 57 miles and carrying 50 pounds of high explosives, targeting Belgorod, as reported by Forbes.
State media reported that air-defense systems intercepted 14 rockets, with evidence of rocket fragments found on the ground. The extent of damage, particularly to military targets, remains unclear.
Independent military observers confirmed the use of HIMARS. OSINdefender reported on X (formerly Twitter) that fragments of Guided-Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets from M142 HIMARS were discovered in several locations across the Belgorod region.
Footage showed at least eight missiles fired from an M142 HIMARS installation near Vovchansk, triggering air alerts in Russia, OSINTdefender reported.
A local official in Belgorod died from ammunition detonation, and six people were injured in the shelling, according to Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Telegram. Igor Nechiporenko, deputy head of the Korochansky district administration, was killed.
Germany joined the U.S. in allowing Ukraine to target certain positions on Russian soil with long-range weapons, marking a significant policy shift. This change comes as Ukrainian forces, facing depletion, lose ground in the conflict.
Ukrainian officials have been frustrated by restrictions on Western weapons use, especially as the Kharkiv border region endures heavy Russian attacks. Both Germany and the U.S. have now authorized the use of weapons to defend Kharkiv, whose capital lies just 12 miles from Russia. Russian ballistic missiles recently hit an apartment building in the city, killing at least six people.
The easing of restrictions aims to better protect Kharkiv by targeting Russian capabilities nearby, though the broader impact on the conflict remains uncertain. Moscow has reacted furiously, warning it could draw Russia into conflict with NATO.
The German government stated that Ukraine can use supplied weapons against positions just over the border from where Russia launches attacks on Kharkiv. U.S. President Joe Biden also gave Kyiv the green light to use American weapons against Russian military assets targeting the region, according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken noted that Kyiv had requested permission to use U.S.-supplied weapons against Russian troops amassing on the border for attacks inside Ukraine. Biden’s approval was specifically for this purpose.
U.S. officials emphasized that the policy prohibiting Ukraine from using American-provided long-range missiles for offensive strikes inside Russia has not changed.
In response, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, warned that Ukraine and its NATO allies would face a devastating response, potentially drawing NATO into the conflict—an outcome Western governments have sought to avoid.
Western leaders have hesitated to ease restrictions on their weapons due to the risk of provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has warned that direct Western involvement could lead to nuclear conflict. Russia recently began military drills involving tactical nuclear weapons.
With Russia gaining battlefield momentum along parts of the 600-mile front line, some Western leaders are pushing for policy changes allowing Ukraine to strike Russian bases with advanced long-range weapons from Western partners. The larger and better-equipped Russian army is exploiting Ukrainian shortages in troops and ammunition due to delays in U.S. military aid and Western Europe’s slow military production.
The German government noted recent Russian attacks on the Kharkiv region from areas just over the border. "Ukraine has the right under international law to defend itself against these attacks," the statement said, adding that Ukraine can use delivered weapons for this purpose in line with its international commitments.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg supported lifting the limits on Ukraine's use of Western weapons, stating it’s a matter of upholding Ukraine’s right to self-defense. "Putin wanted to deter NATO allies from supporting Ukraine, but we are not and will not be deterred," he said.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström noted that Sweden has not restricted Ukraine's use of its weapons, while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy won’t allow Kyiv to use Italian weapons outside Ukrainian territory.
Medvedev reiterated that these steps could lead NATO and Russia toward nuclear conflict, stressing it’s not a nuclear bluff.
Russia’s new defense minister, Andrei Belousov, claimed Russian troops are advancing on all fronts, including the Kharkiv region, where they have pushed Ukrainian forces back by up to 5 miles and captured 28 towns and villages over the past month. Overall, Russian forces have taken control of 340 square miles of territory since the start of the year, though these claims are unverified.
Russia launched five ballistic missiles at Kharkiv overnight, hitting a residential building and later targeting first responders, resulting in six deaths and at least 25 injuries, according to regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of targeting rescue workers, a tactic previously used in Syria’s civil war.
Besides Kharkiv, Russian troops are advancing in the Donetsk region and preparing for an expected attack in the Sumy region, Ukrainian officials said.
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