US bans Ukraine from attacking deep inside Russia for fear of spreading war

The US is prohibiting Kiev from advancing deep into Russian territory with American weapons to prevent a possible expansion of the war beyond Ukraine’s borders, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder told Voice of America (VoA).

When Russia launched its new offensive against Kharkiv Oblast in May, several countries announced that they had lifted restrictions on the use of Western-supplied weapons against military targets in Russia.

Washington gave Kyiv limited permission to use certain American weapons to attack Russian targets near the border.

Ryder reiterated that there has been no change in the policy prohibiting Ukrainian forces from using US weapons to launch attacks deep inside Russia.

“I think it’s important to understand that we don’t want to see any unintended consequences of escalation that could turn this conflict into a larger conflict that goes beyond Ukraine. I think that’s something we all need to consider and take very seriously,” Ryder said in an interview with VoA published on July 15.

Ukraine has reportedly used US ATACMS missiles to attack Russian military targets in Crimea, a Ukrainian territory illegally annexed by Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to pressure Washington to allow Ukraine to attack targets deep inside Russia, including military airports.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that the US might allow Ukraine to attack targets beyond current restrictions in the future.

“We have never underestimated the threat Russia poses to Ukraine. We will continue to work with Ukraine to ensure it has everything it needs to defend its sovereign territory and its people,” Ryder added.

Stoltenberg: Ukraine has the right to attack military targets on Russian territory

“I welcome the Allies’ decision to open up the possibility of increased use of weapons to attack these targets,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.