what we know about the use of Western weapons to target Russian military targets

kyiv has been authorized for almost a week to strike Russia with weapons supplied by Western countries. Since then, an American rocket launcher has been used to target a Russian air defense system in the Belgorod region, and Moscow is threatening.

After the green light from some of its allies, the acceleration from Ukraine. Now authorized by several countries to target military objectives on Russian territory with Western weapons, kyiv was quick to seize this permission in the Belgorod region, according to Ukrainian media and officials.

Faced with this new step in supporting Kiev, the Kremlin is threatening nations that allow Ukrainian forces to strike its territory using weapons they provide them. Franceinfo summarizes what we know about the implementation of this recent authorization.

Several Western countries, including the United States and France, have given the green light, under conditions

While he has refused to do so until now, Joe Biden gave his approval on Thursday for the Ukrainians to strike targets on Russian territory near the Kharkiv region, the target of incessant attacks for months. The American President “approved [leur] use for this purpose”US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday.

This decision marks a turnaround for the United States, which until then feared that such a green light would drag NATO into a direct conflict with Russia. The increased support for Ukraine was welcomed by Volodymyr Zelensky. “This is a step forward towards this objective (…) of defending our people who live in the villages along the border”he said Friday, during the third Ukraine-Northern Europe summit in Stockholm (Sweden).

Other Western countries have also given their authorization, including the United Kingdom, which took the plunge at the beginning of May. Germany, for its part, estimated on Friday that the Ukrainians could use its weapons against military targets in Russia, particularly in response to the offensive launched on May 10 by Moscow. France has announced that it is also in favor, as have the Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark).

kyiv, however, hopes to convince its allies to grant it more freedom in the use of these weapons. Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly believed that the only way to stop the shelling of the Kharkiv region is to use Western weapons with superior range. “It is not a 100% authorization. There are rules to respect (…) We will continue to work with our allies on broadening its scope of application”, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba said on Monday. A new level in Western aid could soon be reached, with the sending of instructors, particularly French, to train the Ukrainian army on site.

Ukraine was quick to use these weapons

It only took days after these authorizations for Ukraine to strike Russian facilities using an American-made artillery system. Quoted by the New York Times, Yehor Cherniev, deputy chairman of the National Security, Defense and Intelligence Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament, said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces destroyed Russian missile launchers in a strike in the Belgorod region. He said an American Himars multiple rocket launcher system had been used.

Ukrainian media also reported these strikes. “Ukraine’s military confirmed Monday that cross-border strikes had taken place and military targets had been hit, but provided few details.writes in particular the Kyiv Post.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchouk also published on Mondayon Telegram the photo (since deleted) of a Russian surface-to-air missile system in flames, with this caption: “It burns well. First days after authorization to use Western weapons in enemy territory.” However, she did not specify the origin of the artillery used. Images of a burning device also circulated on the social network X, notably shared by Ukrainian accounts and investigative specialists.

On Telegram, Volodymyr Zelensky also thanked Tuesday “all partners who help as needed” his country. However, he did not confirm the actual use of Western weapons to strike Russia.

Moscow warns kyiv’s allies

After the green light from the United States, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov assured Friday that American weapons were “already used to try to strike Russian territory”seeing it as proof of “degree of involvement of the United States in this conflict”. Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov put “warns American officials against miscalculations that could have fatal consequences”reported International mailquoting the official Interfax agency.

But the White House is not the only target. The Kremlin has recently made thinly veiled threats against kyiv’s allies who have authorized the use of Western weapons. “This permanent escalation can have serious consequences,” warned Vladimir Putin on May 28. “In Europe, especially in smaller countries, they need to think about what they are playing with,” he added.

Russia has also not ruled out directly targeting possible Western instructors sent to Ukraine. “No instructor involved in training Ukrainian military personnel has immunity” faced with the strikes, Dmitri Peskov said on Tuesday, adding: “It doesn’t matter whether they are French or not.”