Biden Approves Limited Use of US-Supplied Weapons in Russia by Ukraine

[CharlieH]

 

 

US President Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to use American-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia, but only in areas near the Kharkiv region, according to US officials. One official told BBC News that his team was instructed to ensure Ukraine could use US weaponry for "counter-fire purposes" to target Russian forces either attacking or preparing to attack them.

 

Recent weeks have seen Russian forces make significant gains in the Kharkiv region following an unexpected offensive near the Russian border. On Friday, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian shelling of a residential building in a Kharkiv suburb resulted in three deaths and 16 injuries.

 

The US official clarified to the BBC, "Our policy regarding the prohibition of using Army Tactical Missile System [ATACMS] or conducting long-range strikes inside Russia has not changed." When asked by CBS, the BBC's US partner, whether this new policy included attacking Russian aircraft, the official stated, "We’ve never told them [Ukraine] they can’t shoot down a Russian airplane over Russian soil that’s coming to attack them.”

 

Neither the White House nor the State Department offered immediate comments on the matter.

 

The UK has hinted at possibly easing restrictions on how Ukraine could use Western-supplied weapons. Despite concerns that this could escalate the conflict further, several European leaders have also recently called for relaxing these restrictions. However, Washington, which supplies the bulk of Ukraine's weaponry, had previously resisted such measures out of escalation fears.

 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested this policy shift during a visit to Moldova on Wednesday. "At every step along the way, we've adapted and adjusted as necessary," he said, adding, "And so that's exactly what we'll do going forward."

 

As Kyiv awaits additional Western weaponry, Russian forces have taken advantage of the situation to push deeper into Ukrainian territory in Kharkiv. Last week, at least 12 people were killed and dozens more wounded after Russian forces hit a supermarket in Kharkiv with two glide bombs.

 

Early on Friday, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Telegram that Russian shelling had struck a five-story apartment block in the Novobavarskyi District of Kharkiv. The strike destroyed part of the building and caused a fire, resulting in at least three deaths and 16 injuries, including a 12-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl who were taken to the hospital.

 

The Ukrainian official accused Russian forces of targeting "exclusively civilian infrastructure" and employing a "double-strike tactic," aiming at the site a second time after paramedics and rescue workers had arrived.

 

as reported by the BBC

 

2024-06-01

 

 

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[Gweiloman]

Seems like Ukraine didn’t get the memo as they struck Crimea instead.

 

https://www.newsweek.com/crimea-photos-ukraine-atacms-kerch-ferry-1906708

 

Things are getting interesting. The west is calling Russia’s bluff, let’s see how Russia reacts over the coming days. I’m expecting escalation, including use of some tactical nukes. Western politicians don’t seem to understand or refuse to accept that Russia views this as an existential threat so they have nothing to lose. 
 

The wild card in all this is actually not China but North Korea. The Korean civil war is actually still ongoing, it’s just a frozen conflict. The longer it drags on, the weaker NK will become so I expect they will seize on any opportunity to resume the conflict when Sauron’s attention is directed elsewhere.

 

Vladimir ‘Strider’ Putin will lead the charge against Mordor while Xi ‘Gandalf’ Jin Ping will be strategising in the background. Volodymyr ‘the Mouth’ Zelensky will be decapitated his goblins will flee into the abyss. The “Irohanians” will ride to victory once again in the Sands of Sinai…