Washington green-lit Ukraine using US weapons against targets in Russian territories adjacent to the Kharkov region last week but maintained the ban on deeper cross-border strikes with ATACMS tactical missiles and other long-range weaponry.
Nonetheless, The New York Times, citing Ukrainian officials, has reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck deep into Russia in the Belgorod region using HIMARS systems just a few days after receiving US "permission."
Responding to Sputnik about this report, a US Defense Department spokesperson stated, "This instruction has just entered into force," without confirming whether Ukrainian forces have actually used US weapons for strikes into Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that attempts to strike Russia with US weapons were already being made. President Vladimir Putin warned NATO allies last week that they should realize "what they are playing with" when they allow Ukraine to use long-range Western weapons to strike deep into Russia.