Biden authorizes Ukraine to conduct targeted military operations in Russia with US support

President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to strike inside Russian territory with American munitions, according to two US officials who spoke to CNN. The permission is limited to targets over the border close to Kharkiv, a city in northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border, where Russian forces have made significant advances.

“The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use US-supplied weapons for counterfire purposes in Kharkiv so Ukraine can hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them,” one official said.

This decision marks a departure from long-standing policy and comes in response to growing international pressure from US allies. However, the authorization is restricted to the area around Kharkiv, and Ukraine has not requested permission to strike beyond that point.

Kyiv made the request for the policy change in recent weeks as Russian forces continued their advance. With this new authorization, Ukrainian forces can target Russian forces, ammunition depots, and logistical hubs across the border from Kharkiv in western Russia.

While Ukraine has been allowed to use US anti-aircraft weapons to defend against Russian aircraft in both Ukrainian and Russian airspace, they are still prohibited from targeting Russian aircraft on the ground inside Russia. Additionally, the administration has not permitted the use of long-range missiles known as ATACMS, which can hit targets up to 200 miles away.

This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.