The Pentagon has faced questions over whether Ukraine’s use of American weapons in its ongoing Kursk incursion is consistent with US policy regarding what Ukraine can and cannot do with US weapons. It has become clear that Ukrainian troops are currently using American weapons to attack Russian territory, troops, civilians, and infrastructure.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh responded to the question by confirming that it was indeed consistent with their policy, explaining that Washington supports the need for “crossfire” from Ukraine back across the border onto Russian positions from which it is being attacked, even if this occurs on Russian territory. She framed what is happening in Russia’s Kursk oblast – an offensive which has entered its fourth day – as ‘defensive’ in nature.
However, when pressed about the scenario of a direct attack on Moscow, Singh refused to rule it out and stated that she was not going to put a specific range on it or draw a circular map for where strikes could occur. The Kremlin is likely to remain unconvinced by this clear escalation in rhetoric from the Pentagon, even if theoretically discussing strikes on Moscow.
The Ukrainian cross-border offensive, which may have involved up to 1,000 men, began early Tuesday morning and was led by fast-moving armored vehicles, which were able to penetrate up to 10km into Ukraine. Moscow claims that it has observed US-supplied equipment being utilized in the attack on Russian soil.
The fighting in Kursk is now in its fourth day, which is unprecedented for a Ukrainian military incursion inside Russia. Ukraine has simultaneously stepped up its cross-border drone attacks, reportedly hitting an important military airfield in the Lepetsk region, impacting a facility where glide-bombs are stored.
The high-risk assault comes at a time when Ukraine has been on a slow and steady retreat in the Donbass. Ukraine needed something ‘big’ to both distract Russia’s military command from front line operations and as a blow to Moscow’s morale. Now, Kiev is pressing the Biden White House to let it use ATACMS long-range missiles to strike deeper into Russia.
This will give them the leverage they need for negotiations with Russia — this is what it’s all about,” Mikhail Podoliak, a senior advisor to President Zelensky, told The Washington Post. On Thursday, Zelensky himself had said Russia needs to “feel” the consequences of its invasion and war.
It now looks like Ukraine will actually seek to maintain hold over parts of Kursk Oblast, with Ukrainian officials claiming to have captured approximately 100 square kilometers of territory and taken hundreds of Russian soldiers as prisoners.
The Ukrainian leadership has approached the US for permission to use ATACMS to target Russian territory after the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) conducted an incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast. This could allow Kyiv to hold the territory they have pushed into, according to The Washington Post, citing an anonymous advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The long-range missiles are planned to be used to strike Russian military airfields from which Russian aircraft conduct bombing raids on Ukrainian positions. According to the source, such a political decision would help the AFU maintain control over parts of the Kursk Oblast.
Based on the above-mentioned words of the Pentagon press secretary where she noticeably did not verbalize limits on striking Moscow, this potential greenlight from Washington to use ATACMS on Russian territory is looking more likely by the day. President Putin will see this as the US much more directly entering the war, and has previously set firm red lines on such a scenario.
