Official announcements from the US Department of Defense or the Ukrainian government

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.