Biden secretly gave Ukraine permission to strike inside Russia, solely near the area of Kharkiv, with US weapons

Biden secretly gave Ukraine permission to strike inside Russia, solely near the area of Kharkiv, with US weapons.

"The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine can use U.S. weapons for counter-fire purposes in Kharkiv, allowing Ukraine to retaliate against Russian forces attacking them or preparing to do so,” one of the U.S. officials said. The policy of not permitting long-range strikes inside Russia “has not changed.”

Ukraine requested this policy adjustment only after Russia's offensive on Kharkiv began this month, the official added. All sources were granted anonymity to discuss internal decisions that haven't been announced.

In the past few days, the U.S. decided to allow Ukraine “flexibility” to defend itself from attacks near the border around Kharkiv, the second U.S. official said.

Effectively, Ukraine can now use American-provided weapons, such as rockets and rocket launchers, to intercept Russian missiles heading toward Kharkiv, target troops massing just over the Russian border near the city, or engage Russian bombers launching bombs toward Ukrainian territory. However, Ukraine cannot use these weapons to hit civilian infrastructure or launch long-range missiles, such as the Army Tactical Missile System, to target military sites deep inside Russia.

This represents a significant shift, as the administration initially argued that such actions would escalate the war by more directly involving the U.S. However, worsening conditions for Ukraine on the battlefield—specifically Russia's advances and strengthened position in Kharkiv—prompted the president to reconsider.

The National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Biden administration recently hinted that a decision had either been made secretly or was forthcoming. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who supports lifting the restriction, became the first U.S. official to publicly suggest that Biden might change course and allow such strikes, stating that U.S. policy toward Ukraine would evolve as needed. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby later did not rule out a potential change.

These messages followed statements from top U.S. allies, such as the United Kingdom and France, asserting that Ukraine should have the right to attack inside Russia using Western weapons. Lawmakers from both parties also supported the move publicly and privately, while top U.S. military officials briefed Congress behind closed doors that relaxing the restriction had “military value,” POLITICO first reported.

The Russian embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

Some officials are concerned that when Ukraine attacks inside Russia using its own drones, it has targeted military sites unrelated to Russia’s invasion. The U.S. has strongly conveyed to Kyiv that American weapons must be used only to directly target Russian military sites involved in the invasion of Ukraine, not civilian infrastructure.