Russians sitting on a volcano after permit to use Western weapons against them – Ukrainian commander
Yuriy Fedorenko, a commander in the 92nd Assault Brigade, discussed the significant implications of permitting the Ukrainian military to use Western weapons on Russian territory in an interview with Radio NV on July 6.
"More than three days ago (as of July 6), a decision to use Western weapons against Russia was authorized, which immediately had a positive impact on the course of hostilities in general, in favor of Ukrainian Armed Forces," Fedorenko said.
"Because the land under the occupier began to burn not only on the territory of Ukraine, but also in Russia. We got the opportunity to knock out such important things as electronic intelligence, electronic warfare, air defense, and what is very, very important - S-300 and S-400 systems that were systematically striking Kharkiv."
Read also: Germany backs Ukraine’s right to self-defense by allowing strikes on Russian territory — Scholz
The commander of the Achilles battalion called the permission to use Western weapons against the occupiers in Russia “step number one”.
"Step number two is that we have to get permission to hit enemy targets deep in Russian operational space," he added, expressing hope that Ukrainian diplomatic groups will be able to obtain permission to use Western long-range weapons on Russian territory.
"Not only in the border cities, but also in the depths. Because we need to deal with the enemy, first of all, on its territory, with the source of the problem. Because on the territory of Ukraine, we are already struggling with the consequences of our failure on Russian territory."
Use of Western weapons on Russian territory
The U.S. does not "encourage" Ukraine to use American weapons to strike Russian territory, White House spokesperson John Kirby said on May 17.
Foreign weapons should be used "to reclaim Ukrainian sovereign territory" and this should occur "specifically on Ukrainian territory," the Pentagon emphasized.
Read also: Ukraine works on lifting ban on use of Western weapons on Russian territories – Kuleba
Ukraine likely received U.S. approval to use American weapons for strikes on Russian territory, Le Monde, analyzing statements by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Kyiv, reported.
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron pledged $3.74 billion in annual military aid to Ukraine on May 3. London does not object to the use of its weapons for strikes on Russia, he added.
Le Monde views Cameron and Blinken's statements as "a sign of a deliberate shift in the West's position" on this issue.
Read also: Western weapons strikes on Russia to impact frontline situation – Ukrainian military commander
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Brown provided evasive answers on May 20, when asked whether Ukraine could use American weapons to strike the aggressor country amid the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv Oblast.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The New York Times on May 21, that he had asked the U.S. to allow Ukraine to use American missiles and other weapons on military targets inside Russia.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated his opposition, on May 26, to Ukraine using Western weapons to strike Russian territory.
Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson declared that Ukraine could use Swedish weapons for attacks on Russian territory.
The AFP news agency, citing unnamed sources, reported that Ukraine had already used Western weapons to strike Russian territory several times, most recently in Krasnodar.
The New York Times on May 31 reported, citing unnamed White House officials, that US President Joe Biden, under pressure from his advisers and key allies, had authorized Ukraine to conduct limited strikes on Russian territory with US-made weapons.
On the same day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that the White House had authorized Ukraine to strike Russian territory with US weapons.
US National Security Council spokesman Michael Carpenter told Voice of America that the US authorized Ukraine to strike Russian territory not only to protect Kharkiv from Russian attacks, but also to defend other Ukrainian regions.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine could strike at Russian territory using HIMARS, GMLRS, and American artillery shells. However, the green light from the United States does not include the use of ATACMS. They also clarified that the US is still against strikes deep into Russia.
Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom officially authorized the use of their weapons to strike Russian territory, Czechia, Poland, and other countries have supported this decision.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that it was better not to discuss Ukraine's right to strike Russian territory in public.
On May 31, Bild reported that Germany authorized Ukrainian Armed Forces to strike Russia with German weapons no further than 40 kilometers from the border. The journalists noted that government had spent several days discussing the matter, and the decision came immediately after a similar authorization was approved in the United States.
On the same day, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed that the country had authorized Ukraine to strike with German weapons on Russian territory, but in areas close to the border.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
