Ukraine's limited strike capability amidst U.S. restrictions revealed
Americans have allowed Ukraine to strike targets on Russian territory up to 100 kilometres from the border using American weapons. This has helped limit Kremlin attacks on Ukraine, but Kyiv is still unable to strike key Russian airfields, revealed the "Washington Post," citing Ukrainian sources.
The United States has imposed restrictions on Kyiv regarding strike conduct. According to these restrictions, Ukraine can only conduct military operations within 100 kilometres of the Ukrainian-Russian border. Although American officials have not officially confirmed this allowed distance, they emphasised that Ukraine's information on such restrictions is untrue, reports the Washington Post.
Moreover, Ukraine has been allowed to use air defence systems supplied by the United States to attack Russian aircraft, but only when they are planning to strike Ukrainian airspace, noted Pentagon spokesman Maj. Charlie Dietz.
However, as the newspaper highlights, the Ukrainian army is not convinced that they have as much operational freedom as suggested by the statements of White House and Pentagon officials.
Is the USA restricting Ukraine?
In June, the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noticed that the US policy limiting Ukraine's ability to use American weapons to strike targets in Russia "effectively created a vast (space - ed. note) used by the Kremlin to protect its forces, which the Russian army uses during its military operations in Ukraine."
For over two years, President Joe Biden's administration did not allow Kyiv to use weapons supplied by the USA to attack targets in Russia. Citing fears of a direct conflict between Washington and Moscow, the White House changed its position last month after Russia intensified its attacks on the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine.
However, as one of ISW's analyses assessed, "the change in US policy, although a step in the right direction, is insufficient in itself and unable to disrupt large-scale Russian operations." This analysis was published after Washington's position was modified.
Despite this, President Biden refused to permit Kyiv to use long-range American weapons.
