The offensive of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Kharkiv region: the United States undermined Ukraine's ability to defend themselves - ISW

The US policy to ban Ukraine to beat military objects in the Russian Federation with the help of Western weapons is seriously undermines the ability of the Armed Forces to defend against the enemy's offensive in the north of the Kharkiv region. This was reported by analysts of the Institute of War Study in the daily report for May 15.

The US Helsinki Commission is convinced that Ukraine needs to be allowed to strike military sites in the border areas of the Russian Federation through the current enemy offensive in Kharkiv region. On May 15, the commission noted that the US should "not only allow but also encourage" the Armed Forces attacked the Russian forces, which fire from the border areas of Russia.

On the same day, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, stressed that the United States did not encourage or allow Ukrainian strikes throughout the Russian Federation, but Ukraine has to decide how to wage war. On May 14, Politico, citing two officials of the United States, reported that Biden administration policy to ban the use of weapons provided to Ukraine for strikes in the Russian Federation did not change.

After all, military assistance in Kiev is intended "for defense, not for offensive operations" in the Russian Federation. "The Ukrainian operation to strike on systems in Russia, which directly support the offensive operations of Russia in the north of the Kharkiv region, would inherently be defense, and characterize such an attempt as" offensive "would be incorrect," - the message reads.

Analysts believe that US restrictions on the ability of Ukraine to attack military objects in the Russian Federation to allow to create a shelter in the border enemy, from where the enemy's aviation may cause planning bomb and rocket strikes in the Armed Forces and settlements. "This US policy seriously undermines Ukraine's ability to defend itself from Russian offensive operations in the north of the Kharkiv region," the ISW was added.

We will remind, on May 16 it became known that the active offensive of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Kharkiv region can take another one and a half months. The commander of the battalion of shock BPA "Achilles" Yuriy Fedorenko stated that after receiving Western assistance, the fighters will be able to prevent the Russians from taking shock-assaulting in most areas. The ISW analysts reported in the report on May 15 that the enemy advanced near the Volchansk Kharkiv region.