The US Department of Defense announced that Kiev forces were allowed to use long-range missiles provided by Washington to strike targets on Russian territory, claiming that this was “Ukraine’s right in self-defense.”
Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said during a press conference on Friday: “The goal of this policy is to give the ability to return fire... When Russian forces fire across the border, Ukraine can respond to those ground forces using munitions provided by the United States,” claiming that This is "Ukraine's right of self-defense."
Politico newspaper had indicated earlier today that Washington had allowed Kiev to use Western weapons to strike any Russian forces “attacking across the border,” and not just the Russian forces continuing their advance in Kharkov Province, eastern Ukraine.
Last Tuesday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told PBS: “The agreement with Ukraine regarding the use of American weapons against Russia extends to anywhere Russian forces cross the border from the Russian side to the Ukrainian side to try to seize additional Ukrainian territory.”
It is worth noting that Sullivan's statements came after Russia announced that it might soon move towards the city of Sumy near the Russian border, and he said at the time that if that happened, this policy would be applied there as well.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously stressed, while speaking about Western proposals about allowing Kiev to launch strikes on Russian territory, that NATO countries must understand what they are playing with .
Great move!
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