The Biden administration has given in to the combined pressure of NATO members, U.S. military officials and bipartisan representatives in Congress, who have all been pushing for the removal of restrictions that limit Kyiv’s ability to strike Russian territory using U.S.-supplied long-range weapons.
However, the president has limited the use of U.S. weapons in counter-fire operations to target Russian forces within a specific distance of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, where Russian troops have made significant progress.
Two high-ranking U.S. officials spoke anonymously to CNN:
“The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use US supplied-weapons for counterfire purposes in Kharkiv so Ukraine can hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them,” one of the officials said.
The loosening of the restrictions marks a break from long-standing policy and comes amid growing international pressure from close US allies. But it is limited to the area around Kharkiv, and Ukraine has not requested permission beyond that, the official said, adding that they do not anticipate the US widening the area allowed.
Kyiv made the request for Washington to change its policy in just the past few weeks as Russian forces have made their advance, the official said. Russian forces, ammunitions depots and logistical hubs can now be targeted with US-provided artillery and rockets across the border from Kharkiv in western Russia.
The administration is also standing firm in not allowing Ukraine to use the most formidable munition it has been given to fire into Russia: the long-range missiles known as ATACMS that can hit targets 200 miles, or 300 kilometers, away.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C., metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.
