Ukraine is disadvantaged by US arms restrictions

From the point of view of experts, Ukraine is at a disadvantage in defense against a Russian war of aggression, as it is not allowed to use American weapons against targets on the territory of the neighboring country. According to a study by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in Washington, Russia is using restrictions on the use of weapons imposed by the United States and the West to launch attacks directly from a protected area along the Ukrainian border. local time).

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“That’s our policy, it hasn’t changed.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously called for US weapons to be used for strikes against the Russian border. So far, the country has used its own manufactured weapons for this purpose. According to the Pentagon, the United States is providing weapons to Ukraine to liberate its occupied territories, but the ministry’s spokesman insisted Thursday that the situation has not changed for attacks on Russia.

White House communications director John Kirby issued a similar statement on Friday: “We do not encourage or enable attacks with US-supplied weapons systems on Russian territory. That is our policy, and that has not changed.

US Arms Supply to Ukraine

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US Arms Supply to Ukraine

250 Hobbits Similar to this from the M777 type 950,000 cannonballs.

Quelle: Keystone / Evgeny Maloletka

During his visit to Kiev on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was asked by a journalist whether the ban made sense now and whether it should be eased. At the time, he said the United States was committed to helping Ukraine win the war. This is proven by extraordinary support.

Blinken at a media conference in Kyiv.Build: Keystone

Unrelenting Russian attacks from the border area

ISW experts pointed out that, in some cases due to restrictions imposed by the West, Russia uses its air force to launch cruise missiles and rockets into Ukraine from areas near the border, often unhindered. Russia can organize its forces and technology in the regions before launching an offensive. It said the US approach has so far severely limited Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian attacks in the north of the Kharkiv region.

Ukraine wants to attack bases in Russia with Western weapons in order to destroy them more effectively than its own less powerful drones and missiles. On the other hand, Russia warns that if the weapons of NATO countries are also used to attack nuclear power, the war will escalate.

A buffer zone in the Kharkiv region

ISW, however, saw confirmation from Kremlin President Vladimir Putin’s recent statements that Russia is seeking a buffer zone in the Kharkiv region in order to prevent Ukrainian attacks on its territory. Putin also said on Friday that there are currently no plans to take over Kharkiv. Experts also believe that Russia still does not have enough forces for a strategic breakthrough in Ukraine.

According to ISW’s assessment, Russian troops primarily want to contain the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kharkiv region in order to launch simultaneous, larger offensives in other eastern parts of Ukraine. Russia wants to bring the annexed but so far partially occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions under its full control. (sda/dpa)