Reuters reports that the United Kingdom has allowed the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use its weaponry to strike targets inside Russia, stated UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron during a visit to Kyiv.
“Ukraine has that right. Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine feels the need to make sure it’s defending itself,” said Cameron, emphasizing that it is up to Kyiv to decide whether to do so.
Up to this point, there has been an informal Western prohibition on utilizing their weaponry to target military sites within Russia, driven by concerns of potential escalation from the Kremlin. Certain nations, like Finland, had previously permitted Ukraine to utilize supplied equipment for limited strikes on Russian territory, albeit on a smaller scope. In contrast, Britain, among other contributions, supplies the Ukrainian Armed Forces with long-range Storm Shadow missiles.
The UK’s decision signifies the initial public recognition by one of Ukraine’s crucial allies of its entitlement to employ Western armaments for penetrating strikes into Russia. British Foreign Minister David Cameron traveled to Kyiv on May 2, engaging in discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Cover: British Embassy Kyiv
