US gives Ukraine permission to strike targets in Russia, but it is unclear how far - ISW
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said this in its report, according to Ukrinform.
US President Joe Biden reportedly approved a policy change that will permit Ukraine to use US-provided weapons, including GMLRS rockets — but not longer-range ATACMS missiles — for "counter-fire purposes" against the Russian forces conducting assaults in the northern Kharkiv region.
According to media reports, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been urging Biden to lift these restrictions on Ukraine.
“It is unclear how far into Belgorod Oblast the US is permitting Ukrainian forces to strike with US-provided weapons, or if Ukraine would be allowed to strike Russian force and equipment concentrations in Kursk and Bryansk regions,” ISW experts said.
ISW analysts noted that Russian military targets outside the immediate border area with the Kharkiv region are also legitimate military targets. And continued restrictions on Ukraine's ability to strike targets elsewhere in Russia hinder Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian aggression.
According to experts, Russia still enjoys some sanctuary in which the Russian military can shield military forces before they get close enough to Kharkiv, or enter other parts of Ukraine. Moscow will continue to benefit from any partial sanctuary so long as Western states continue to impose restrictions on Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
“ISW continues to assess that the US should allow Ukraine to strike all legitimate military targets in Russia’s operational and deep rear with US-provided weapons,” the report says.
As reported by Ukrinform, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson expressed the position that Ukraine should decide for itself how to wage war, in particular, not to restrict the Armed Forces from attacking targets inside Russian territory with U.S.-provided weapons.
Earlier, a bipartisan group of congressional representatives, members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, called on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons to strike targets inside Russian territory, strengthen Ukraine's Air Force and bolster its air defenses.
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