Western air defense systems, permission to hit targets inside Russia to protect Kharkiv - ISW

That’s according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank, seen by Ukrinform.

It is noted that a dozen Western nations have recently partially or completely lifted their bans on Ukraine's use of weapons provided by them to engage military targets on Russian territory.

"These policy changes will allow Ukrainian forces to use Western-provided systems to strike Russian firing and staging areas in Russia's border areas and airspace," the report said.

Ukrainian officials reported that Ukrainian forces had shot down several Russian warplanes in February 2024, many of which were launching glider bombs toward Avdiivka.

"Ukrainian forces' ability to down Russian military aircraft in a frontline area indicates that Ukrainian forces will likely be able to replicate the same effects with both Ukrainian and Western-provided systems to protect northern Kharkiv Oblast and Kharkiv City from Russian glide bomb strikes launched from Russian airspace," ISW analysts believe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that Russian troops would not be able to capture Kharkiv if Ukrainian troops were to receive two Patriot air defense systems to protect the region.

Over the past few weeks, Russian forces have been pummeling the city of Kharkiv with gliding bombs and various missiles, although two Patriot batteries in northern Kharkiv Oblast would have limited effectiveness in defending against Russian airstrikes without the ability to fire on Russian aircraft in Russian airspace.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, a man was killed and two more people were injured as a result of Russian missile attacks on the Zmiiv community in Chuhuiv district.