Permission to strike military targets inside Russia would significantly weaken Russian air terror - Kuleba

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy stated this during a video conference address to the participants of the annual meeting of Lithuanian ambassadors in Vilnius, Ukrinform reports with reference to the MFA press service.

Kuleba recalled the recent brutal Russian shelling, in particular the attack on the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, and once again emphasized the need to support Ukraine's use of Western weapons against legitimate military targets inside Russia.

"We must destroy Russian bombers before they drop deadly guided aerial bombs on our positions, cities and communities. This will significantly weaken Russian air terror. I will be grateful for your help in convincing partners of the need to make this decision a reality," said the minister.

He also emphasized the importance of utilizing NATO's capabilities to protect at least part of the Ukrainian sky in the west of the country.

"The shooting down of deadly Russian missiles and drones does not make other states parties to the conflict. This is a humanitarian mission. We need this resolve," said the head of the Foreign Ministry.

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy also thanked the Lithuanian diplomatic corps for their support and practical steps on the way to Ukraine's membership of the EU and NATO. He separately expressed gratitude to Lithuania for active efforts toward the implementation of the Peace Formula and expressed hope for fruitful cooperation between Ukrainian and Lithuanian diplomacies on the way to the second Peace Summit.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said the United States does not allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use long-range ATACMS missiles deep into Russia, particularly at military airfields, so that the war does not spill beyond the borders of Ukraine.