USA Allows Ukraine to Shoot Down Russian Aircraft
The USA permitted Kiev at the beginning of Russia's large-scale invasion to shoot down military aircraft flying over Russian territory if they pose a threat to Ukraine, declared the spokesperson for the USA National Security Council, John Kirby, reports The Kiyv Independent.
The White House lifted the ban on Ukraine's use of certain American weapons against Russian territory, near the Kharkiv and Sumy regions. This decision comes after Moscow launched a new offensive on May 10 in the Kharkiv region.
On May 31, Kirby stated that "there was some confusion" regarding Ukraine's permission to use USA-supplied weapons to hit targets in Russia. He spoke to the press before President Joe Biden's visit to France for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Kirby clarified that "there was never a restriction on Ukrainians downing hostile aircraft, even if those aircraft were not necessarily in Ukrainian airspace."
Kirby did not confirm the information that Ukraine used US weapons to hit Russian territory for the first time, stating that the USA "cannot know exactly how the Ukrainians strike every day."
On June 4, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told the press that Biden's decision to authorise strikes on Russian territory, near the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, is "common sense."
Biden believes that "Ukraine should have the right to retaliate, including with American-made weapons," and therefore, "authorised the use of these weapons for this specific purpose," said Sullivan.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
