Ukraine strikes into Russia with US weapons for first time

Ukraine has struck inside of Russia with U.S. weapons for the first time since permission was granted by the Biden administration last week, according to a Ukrainian official.

Ukrainian parliament member Yehor Cherniev confirmed that U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) have hit Russian logistics and artillery locations inside of Russia near Ukraine’s northeast region of Kharkiv, where Moscow is conducting an offensive.

“We have already achieved some success and forced the Russians to stop shelling the city,” said Cherniev, the deputy chairman of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence in Ukraine’s parliament, in a text message. “Also, thanks to the HIMARS strikes, we managed to reduce the offensive potential of Russian troops in this area.”

The Biden administration last week announced a change in policy to allow Ukraine to strike inside of Russia from the region of Kharkiv.

The reversal was only partial, allowing for strikes in Russia from Kharkiv, where Russian forces are pressing forward in a major offensive. Ukraine is also prohibited from using the U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) or long-range artillery to hit Russia, and from hitting civilian infrastructure.