Germany’s recent limited permission allows Ukraine to potentially target Russian airspace with German-supplied Patriot air defense systems, as stated by Major General Christian Freudig.
This policy change specifically supports Ukraine’s defense of Kharkiv Oblast, suffering from Russian aerial strikes across the border every day.
” “It is quite conceivable that the ‘Patriot’ systems could now also be used in the Kharkiv area and over Russia. They are ideally suited to combat the Russian aircraft that can deploy the terrible gliding bombs,” said Maj-Gen Freuding, head of Germany’s Ukraine military situational center, in an interview with Tagesschau.
Freuding emphasized that the tactical use of the systems would be solely up to the Ukrainian military, but said,
“We have great confidence that the Ukrainians will not only adhere to international law, but that they will also use them with great tactical skill and achieve success.”
The decision follows a similar move by the US and other allies to allow Ukrainian forces to strike into Russian territory in self-defense against the near-daily bombardment of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, from positions in the Russian region, adjacent to Kharkiv Oblast.
According to Tagesschau, neither Freuding nor Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev would confirm if Patriot missiles have already been fired into Russia from Ukraine. But Makeiev welcomed the policy change, stating, it is important “not to draw red lines around ourselves, but to place them clearly in front of the aggressor.”
Read also:
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- BBC: Ukraine can now target military airfields in Russia with Storm Shadow cruise missiles
- Dutch endorse Ukraine using F-16s in Russian airspace for self-protection
- Politico: US quietly allowed Ukraine to strike inside Russia, but solely near Kharkiv
