Former Deputy Secretary of State believes US should help Ukraine strike military targets in Russia

Ukraine has a right to strike military targets on Russian Federation soil, and the US and its allies should support the country in doing so, said Victoria Nuland, former US Deputy Secretary of State, in an interview with ABC News after Russia's offensive in Kharkiv Oblast.

As reported by ABC News, commenting on Russian forces' recent advances in the north of Kharkiv Oblast, Nuland emphasised that Ukraine should be equipped to counter Russian operations launched from Russian bases.

"I think if the attacks are coming directly from over the line in Russia, that those bases ought to be fair game, whether they are where missiles are being launched from or where the troops are being supplied from," she added.

The former US Secretary of State feels that the moment for this has come after Russia's latest escalation of the war, which now threatens and attempts to destroy Kharkiv "without ever having to put a boot on the ground".

"So I think it is time to give the Ukrainians more help hitting these bases inside Russia," Nuland emphasised. 

According to her, this will not result in Moscow escalating and the United States becoming more involved in the fight, because Russia is responsible for the escalation and now gets "direct advantage in this war from our hesitation".

The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine asked US President Joe Biden's administration to help identify targets in Russia that Kyiv could strike with its own weapons. Ukraine has also asked the US to lift restrictions on the use of US-provided weapons on military targets in Russia.

The Pentagon stated earlier that they have not changed their position regarding Ukraine's use of the weapons provided by the US as part of its military assistance.