Ukraine calls on its allies to allow the use of Western weapons for attacks on air bases on the territory of Russia.
Points of attention
- The armed forces of Ukraine cannot cope with certain types of weapons that have a range of about 190 miles.
- President Zelensky calls on Western partners to allow the use of their weapons for strikes against Russia.
- The Pentagon supports Ukrainian forces in the use of air defense systems to destroy aircraft of the occupation army of the Russian Federation in Russian airspace.
Ukraine wants to hit air bases in Russia with Western weapons
According to the publication, Washington's lifting of the ban on the use of certain types of weapons helped Ukraine thwart the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region and also reduced the shelling of Kharkiv.
However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine still cannot hit Russia with ATACMS, some of which have a range of about 190 miles.
These longer-range weapons would be necessary to hit air bases deep in Russian territory used by bombers. Kyiv is forced to rely mainly on its own fleet of domestically produced drones, which is expanding to pursue these bases, the article says.
After another bombing of Kharkiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to Western partners to allow their weapons to be used on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Only this day, our soldiers shot down two Russian Kalibr missiles. Yesterday — 12 Russian missiles and 13 attack drones. And so on - every evening and every day. Russian terror is not going away, so we must increase the pressure - by all means and together with our partners. We are determined enough to destroy terrorists on their soil—it is only fair—and we need the same determination from our partners. We can stop Russia. Together with everyone in the world who values life, we will.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
Why does the US maintain restrictions on Ukraine's use of American weapons for attacks on Russia?
Journalists of the publication, citing Ukrainian officials, point out that these restrictions do not allow the Ukrainian military to strike with long-range American weapons at key airfields of the occupation army of the Russian Federation.
Meanwhile, Pentagon representative Charlie Deets rejected claims that Ukraine is prohibited from striking with American weapons at a distance of more than 100 km deep into Russian territory, but did not name any other distance restrictions.
He noted that it is not about the specific radius and distance of strikes but about the permission to respond with the help of American weapons to the attacks of the criminal army of the Russian Federation across the border.
Diets emphasised that the Western partners allowed Ukraine to use the received air defence systems to defeat the aircraft of the occupation army of the Russian Federation, which is in Russian airspace.
A representative of the Pentagon said that the US agreed to allow Ukraine to strike where Russian troops are going to advance.
