BBC:
Russia has accused Nato and the US of “provoking a new level of tension” after the US and Germany became the latest allies to let Ukraine’s military use Western-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
A Berlin spokesman said Germany was convinced Ukraine had the right to defend itself from Russia, especially from cross-border attacks on its second largest city Kharkiv.
US officials said American-supplied weapons could be used to counter Russian fire near the Kharkiv region, either where Russian forces were “hitting them or preparing to hit them”.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said the decision would help protect civilians living in villages close to the Russian border.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Nato countries, especially the US and several European countries, had “entered a new round of escalating tension and they are doing this deliberately”, in remarks quoted by the Tass news agency.
“They are in every possible way provoking Ukraine to continue this senseless war.”
Russian forces have made gains in the Kharkiv region in recent weeks after a surprise offensive in the area, close to the border with Russia.
The UK and France had already signalled they were open to easing restrictions on Ukraine striking military sites on Russian territory, before US President Joe Biden said on Thursday night that American-supplied weapons could be used.
However a US official told the BBC: “Our policy with respect to prohibiting the use of Army Tactical Missile System [ATACMS] or long-range strikes inside of Russia has not changed.”
German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Friday that Berlin was “jointly convinced” that Ukraine had the right to defend itself from Russian attack.
“To do this, it can also use the weapons supplied for this purpose in accordance with its international legal obligations; including those supplied by us,” he said.
Germany has not yet given Ukraine its powerful Taurus missiles, whereas the UK has provided Storm Shadow missiles and France has handed over its Scalp cruise missiles.
Russia claimed on Friday that it had pushed Ukrainian forces back by up to 9km (6 miles) from the border in the Kharkiv region, adding that it now controlled hills near the village of Lyptsi. Kharkiv is little more than 30km from the Russian border.
