U.S. President Joe Biden has covertly authorized Ukraine to carry out strikes inside Russia near the Kharkiv region using American weapons, Politico reported on Thursday. This information comes from a U.S. official and two other individuals familiar with the plan.
“The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use U.S. weapons for counter-fire purposes in Kharkiv so Ukraine can hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them,” Politico reported, citing a U.S. official. The official emphasized that the general policy of not allowing long-range strikes inside Russia “has not changed.”
Politico’s report did not specify when Biden granted this permission.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously warned that enabling Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons for strikes inside Russia could escalate into a global conflict. Ukraine’s government has been urging its Western allies to permit such actions.
The United States has maintained that it does not support or facilitate the use of its weapons for direct attacks on Russia. However, when asked about Washington’s current stance, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Wednesday that the U.S. position would “adjust and adapt.”
As the situation evolves, this new development highlights the delicate balance of international diplomacy and military strategy in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
