US president Joe Biden partially lifts ban on Ukraine using US weapons to strike Russia

President Joe Biden has given Ukraine the green light to use US weaponry to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv, according to US officials familiar with the matter.

The officials, who requested anonymity, underscored that the policy calling on Ukraine not to use US-provided long-range missiles and other munitions to strike inside Russia offensively has not changed.

The move comes as Ukrainian officials have stepped up calls on the US administration to allow its forces to defend itself against attacks originating from Russian territory.

Russia has recently intensified attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, which is just 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Russian border.

The assault came after Russia amassed 30,000 troops across the border from the Ukrainian city. Almost 8,000 local people were forced to evacuate their homes as Russia began to shell the city and breach the border.

Russia are unlikely to capture Kharkiv, but its advance has compelled Ukraine to send more troops to the region, leaving other areas more vulnerable to attack.

Ukraine’s army pushed the Kremlin’s forces out of Kharkiv in the autumn of 2022, recapturing the region seven months after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, Biden has been steadfast in his opposition to the Ukrainians using American-made weaponry offensively - out of concern it could lead to Moscow widening the war.

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