U.S. Allows Ukraine to Use American Weapons Against Russian Forces Beyond Kharkiv Region, Including Sumy

Jun 20, 2024, 06:47 PM

The United States has informed Ukraine that it can use American-supplied weapons to strike Russian forces attacking from across the border, expanding the scope beyond the Kharkiv region. This decision allows Ukraine to target Russian troops in a broader area, including the Sumy region, if they pose a threat. The U.S. also permits the use of US-provided air defense systems to shoot down aircraft in Russia's airspace if such aircraft are considered a threat. However, Ukraine is not allowed to use ATACMS missiles in these operations. U.S. officials emphasize that this is a subtle shift in messaging rather than a change in policy. Politico reported that this nearly doubles the area Ukraine could previously hit.