Ukraine may start using US weapons to strike Russia within a few days, if not hours

US President Joe Biden, under pressure from his advisers and key allies, allowed Ukraine to strike military targets in Russia using US-made weapons. First attacks could begin in the coming hours or days, The New York Times said with reference to its sources.

American officials said that Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin had already given his permission for such attacks.

The decision to review the policy regarding American weapons was associated with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Kyiv. Biden, the newspaper said, first authorised the lifting of restrictions on May 15, and made the final decision last week.

By allowing strikes against Russia, Biden crossed the red line that he drew himself.

"This is a new reality (…) and perhaps a new era in the Ukrainian conflict," a high-ranking American official said.

The Pentagon will give Ukraine recommendations on strikes against Russia

The US Department of Defense said that Biden instructed his team to provide Ukraine with an opportunity to use American weapons for counter-battery warfare in the Kharkiv region.

Thus, Ukraine will be able to retaliate against the attacks of the Russian forces, the defense department said.

At the same time, the United States policy regarding the ban on the use of ATACMS long-range ballistic missiles for "long-range strikes inside Russia has not changed.” However, the NYT source admitted that the restrictions on the use of American weapons could be subsequently weakened even further.

Another source of the newspaper added that the US Department of Defense was instructed to develop precise recommendations to Kyiv on where to attack in Russia.

Sergei Nikiforov, the press secretary of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky clarified that the US authorised the use of HIMARS missile systems to strike Russian troops. According to him, this will significantly increase the ability of the Ukrainian army to resist the Russian offensive.

In turn, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Ukraine was already trying to strike Russian territory with American weapons.

"We know that, that they already attempt to strike Russian territory with American-made weapons," Peskov said.

According to him, the information is enough for Moscow to understand the degree of US involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

Ukraine will strike Crimea first

Military expert Vasily Dandykin said that Russia was ready to repel American missile strikes deep into its territory. Ukraine already uses Western weapons to attack the Belgorod region of Russia.

"It's not ATACMS missiles, but they use Czech weapons. We shoot everything down. ATACMS missiles were shot down over Crimea,” Dandykin said.

The expert suggested that Ukraine would use American weapons to attack Sevastopol, Crimea and the Crimean Bridge.

"They will not be able to reach Moscow. It's only Taurus missiles that could reach Moscow, but Germany never transferred them to Ukraine. In any case, Ukraine's strikes will not go unanswered,” the analyst concluded.