Biden shifts stance on allowing Ukraine to fire US-supplied weapons at Russia | Ukraine

Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use some American-made weapons on part of the Russian border, to allow kyiv's forces to defend against an offensive targeting the city of Kharkiv, easing a significant constraint on the ability of Ukraine to defend itself.

“The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use U.S.-supplied weapons for counterfire purposes in the Kharkiv region, so that Ukraine can retaliate against Russian forces that are attacking or preparing to attack them,” a U.S. official said. said.

Limits on the use of long-range US weapons, such as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), will remain, however.

“Our policy regarding prohibiting the use of ATACMS or long-range strikes inside Russia has not changed,” the official said.

The statement suggests that the main impact of the policy change would be to allow U.S.-supplied Ukrainian artillery to return fire on Russian batteries across the Russian border from the Kharkiv region, which had an effect devastating on the Ukrainian defenses around the city of Kharkiv.

This change will also allow the Ukrainian army to target concentrations of Russian forces massed on the border in Russia's Belgorod region.

Biden's decision follows calls from U.S. allies in Europe, including the United Kingdom, Germany and France, as well as the NATO secretary general, for Ukraine to be able to use weapons supplied by the West against military targets in Russia. The White House was also under pressure from Ukrainian supporters of both parties in Congress.

Vladimir Putin has warned of “serious consequences” if Russia is hit by Western weapons.

“I think the immediate change is that Ukraine will be able to use the Himars [high mobility artillery rocket systems]meaning they can strike targets more effectively at greater depths,” said Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Eurasia Program.

Ukraine has suffered more losses from its artillery along the front lines in Kharkiv in recent weeks, Lee said, likely because it has had to operate closer to the front lines and Russia has succeeded to target them with stray Lancet munitions.

Ukraine could use the decision to use Himars to target Russian artillery, multiple rocket systems, drone teams, Lancet munitions teams, electronic warfare systems and command and control posts , Lee said.

He said: “It is not certain that we will see a change on the front lines in Kharkiv. But this will make it more difficult for Russia to continue its offensive operations in this direction. So it will be easier for Ukraine to defend Kharkiv.”

Russian forces bombed a five-story building in Kharkiv early Friday, starting a fire and injuring eight people, according to local authorities who warned residents could be trapped under the rubble.

Several strikes reportedly hit the area after the initial attack.

“A fire broke out. People could be under the rubble,” regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said of the attack, which took place around midnight local time.