USA reportedly allows limited use of weapons in Russia

Whether Ukraine should be able to use Western weapons to attack targets in Russia is currently the subject of controversial debate. The USA has now apparently taken an important step. Meanwhile, Kiev is once again lobbying for such permission.

According to consistent US media reports, the US government has quietly given Ukraine permission to use US weapons on a limited basis against targets on Russian territory.

This applies exclusively to counterattacks in defense of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, reported the news magazine “Politico” and the broadcaster CNN, among others. The Ukrainian military should be enabled to take action against Russian forces “that attack them or are preparing to attack them,” Politico quoted a US government official as saying.

Debate about the use of Western weapons in Russia

Whether Ukraine should be able to use all weapons supplied by the West to attack military targets in Russia is currently the subject of controversial debate among NATO countries. Ukraine has been demanding this for some time in order to combat Russian positions more effectively in the war that has been going on for more than two years. So far, the country has mainly used its own missiles and drones for this purpose. Western weapons have so far been aimed primarily at Russian positions in the areas of Ukraine occupied by Moscow.

In the evening, Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podoliak once again advocated the use of weapons supplied by the West against military targets in Russia. This is in accordance with international law, said the advisor to the Ukrainian presidential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on the ZDF program “Maybrit Illner”. Podoliak accused Russia of completely escalating the war against his country. In order to stop Moscow, Ukraine must also be able to destroy military facilities in Russia.

Stoltenberg advocates partial lifting of restrictions

After the deadly bombings of the border city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded the right to use Western weapons against Russian territory. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has also recently called almost daily for existing restrictions on Ukrainian attacks to be at least partially lifted.

According to information from alliance circles, countries such as the USA and Germany have linked the handover of certain systems to strict conditions for their use. The background to this is the fear that the conflict with Russia could escalate further and NATO could become a party to the war.

Flashing signals course change

According to military officials, the specific conditions include, among other things, that Ukraine is not allowed to shoot down Russian fighter jets in Russian airspace with Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems in order to prevent them from firing missiles or glide bombs at Ukraine.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hinted at a possible change of course on the issue. During a visit to Moldova, he signaled that the US might move away from its rigorous opposition to Ukrainian strikes against targets on Russian soil.

Since the beginning of the war, the US government has constantly adapted its support for Ukraine to the changing conditions on the battlefield “and improved it where necessary,” he said. “And that is exactly what we will continue to do in the future.” The US is listening, learning and constantly making new decisions about what is needed to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself effectively, Blinken stressed in Moldova.

Experts: Covered by international law

His comments attracted great interest at a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Prague on Thursday – as well as in the Kremlin. According to experts, international law allows attacked states to attack aggressors on their own territory in order to defend themselves. From a purely legal point of view, where the weapons come from is not relevant. The USA is the most important arms supplier to Kiev – so the course the Americans take is of particular importance.

The US has so far made its weapons available to Ukraine so that it can liberate its occupied territories, but not for attacks on military targets in Russia itself. The general US position that Ukraine should not use American weapons for offensive attacks against Russian targets has not changed – despite the exception that has now been announced.

Russia warns

On Thursday, the Kremlin again warned against allowing Ukraine to attack targets in Russia with Western weapons. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said: “All of this will, of course, inevitably have consequences.” Ultimately, it will “greatly harm the interests of those countries that have chosen the path of escalating tensions.” NATO countries, especially the USA, have deliberately chosen an escalatory course with “warlike statements.” The nuclear power repeatedly threatens to defend its interests by any means necessary.