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Joe Biden has allowed it Ukraine to use some US-made weapons over a section of the Russian border to allow Kiev’s forces to defend against offensive aimed at the city of Kharkiv, easing an important constraint on Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
“The President recently directed his team to ensure this Ukraine is able to use a US-supplied weapon for firefighting purposes in the Kharkiv region so that Ukraine can retaliate against Russian forces that are attacking or preparing to attack them,” a US official said.
Restrictions on the use of US long-range weapons such as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) will remain, however.
“Our policy regarding the prohibition of the use of ATACMS or long-range strikes inside the Russia it hasn’t changed,” the official said.
The statement suggested that the main impact of the policy change would be to allow US-supplied Ukrainian artillery to fire on Russian batteries over the Russian border from Kharkiv Oblast, having a weakening effect on Ukrainian defenses around the city of Kharkiv.
The change would also allow the Ukrainian military to target concentrations of Russian forces massing on the border in Russia’s Belgorod region.
Biden’s decision followed calls from US allies in Europe, including the UK, Germany and France, and the NATO Secretary General, that Ukraine could use Western-supplied weapons against military targets in Russia. The White House has also come under pressure from supporters of Ukraine in both parties in Congress.
Vladimir Putin has warned of “serious consequences” if Russia is hit with Western weapons.
“I think the immediate change is that Ukraine will be able to use Himars [high mobility artillery rocket systems]meaning they can strike targets more effectively at greater depth,” said Rob Lee, senior fellow in the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
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Ukraine has suffered a higher number of artillery losses on the front lines in Kharkiv in recent weeks, Lee said, possibly because they had to operate closer to the front lines and Russia was successfully targeting them with Lancet munitions.
Ukraine could use the decision to use Himars to target Russian artillery, multiple missile systems, UAV teams, Lancet munitions teams, electronic warfare systems and command and control posts, Lee said.
He said: “It is not clear that we will see a change on the front line in Kharkiv. But this will make it difficult for Russia to continue offensive operations in this direction. So it will make it easier for Ukraine to defend Kharkiv.
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