Congressmen urge Biden to authorize Ukraine’s attacks on Russian strategic targets

The US House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has released a bipartisan letter urging Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to expedite additional resources to Ukraine, including authorizing the use of US-provided weapons to strike strategic targets within Russian territory under certain circumstances. The press release states, "Ukrainian officials have expressed grave concerns, stating that the situation is worse than ever.” The letter, signed by 13 congressmen on 21 May, directly quotes: "Our Ukrainian allies are requesting permission to use certain weapons provided by the United States to conduct operations on strategic targets inside Russian and Russian-controlled territory. ... It is essential the Biden Administration allows Ukraine’s military leaders an ability to conduct a full spectrum of operations necessary to respond to Russia’s unprovoked attack on their sovereign land.." The lawmakers argue that the current Biden Administration policy is "handcuffing Ukraine's ability to push back on Russian forces near Kharkiv with US-origin weapons." Congressmen also urge the US Administration to provide a substantial number of trained pilots to operate aircraft such as the F-16 fighter jets which become available to Ukraine. According to the US Air Force, the US is on track to graduate only 12 pilots from F-16 training by the end of 2024.

“Graduating 12 Ukrainian pilots is simply insufficient. Ukraine is at war, and slots for Ukraine must be prioritized over other foreign countries,” they stated

On air defenses, the congressmen note, "Ukraine has requested upwards of seven (7) additional Patriot batteries to protect large urban areas in Ukraine." Following the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on 20 May, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated that the White House will not approve Ukraine’s use of US-provided weapons for strikes against military targets in Russia. Austin stated that the US expects that Ukraine will “continue to use the weapons that [the US] provided on targets inside of Ukraine.” A day earlier, former Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland stated that Russian border positions are legitimate targets and urged the US to provide more support for Ukrainians to strike bases on Russian territory. Read also:

• The Economist: Russians planned to encircle Kharkiv and repeatedly shell it during renewed offensive, plans say
• Ten Ukrainian soldiers complete F-16 maintenance training in Netherlands
• At last, Ukrainian troops in Kharkiv Oblast get artillery shells to halt Russians – Euractive