Ukraine's use of Western weapons on Russian soil is a game-changer hours after US approval

The recent decision by the United States to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons on Russian soil quickly changed the course of the war.

According to Ukrainian military sources cited by the Associated Press, the approval granted in late May allowed Ukrainian brigades to deploy HIMARS missile systems within hours.

During this period, the Ukrainian military faced significant pressure as it anticipated a new attack on the Kharkiv region aimed at diverting resources from the fighting in the Donetsk region.

According to First Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Havryliuk, reported by the Associated Press, more than 90,000 Russian troops positioned well inside Russian territory were preparing for a new assault.

The deployment of HIMARS missiles allowed Ukrainian forces to immediately target and disrupt Russian troop movements and firing positions along the border.

“The HIMARS were not silent all day,” said an artillery commander in the Kharkiv region, who goes by his call sign Hefastus, remembering the first hours when permission to use the rocket systems was granted. granted.

“From the first days, Ukrainian forces managed to destroy entire columns of troops along the border, waiting for the order to enter Ukraine. »

“Before, we couldn’t target them. It was quite complicated. All warehouses containing ammunition and other resources were located at a distance of 20 kilometers beyond what we could reach,” he said.

With the HIMARS system in play, Ukrainian forces quickly stabilized their positions in the Kharkiv region, thwarting possible Russian incursions.

Yet Ukrainian authorities are frustrated by restrictions limiting strikes within 100 kilometers of the border, despite significantly increasing U.S. support for Ukraine.

This limitation has hampered Ukrainian efforts to target key Russian air bases, from which bombing operations are launched.