Kyiv is ready to use its own weapons to strike “across the border” without seeking help from partner countries. This was stated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhny in an interview with The Washington Post. He recalled that the supplier countries demanded not to use their weapons for attacks on Russian territory.
“Why should I ask anyone for permission to act on enemy territory to save my people? This is our problem and we ourselves should decide how to destroy the enemy”, the general believes. He also emphasized that if partners are afraid to use their weapons, Ukraine will use its own, “but exactly as much as necessary”. At the same time, Zaluzhny noted that the counteroffensive requires large resources, which the Ukrainian troops still lack.
Earlier in April, The Washington Post, citing Pentagon documents, reported on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal to use long-range missiles to strike targets on Russian territory. Zelensky commented on the publication, saying that Ukraine did not have sufficient resources and weapons to attack Russian territory.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, warned that Moscow would respond with a “quick, tough and convincing” response to strikes “deep inside Russia.” He also threatened that retaliation would await all territory remaining under Kyiv’s rule if Crimea was attacked. The Kremlin said that supplying weapons to Ukraine to attack Russia would escalate the conflict.
Ukraine has assured the United States that it will not use the US weapons supplied to it to attack Russia, emphasized John Kirby, coordinator of strategic communications at the US National Security Council. However, he noted that once the weapons are handed over, they become the property of Ukraine.
Zaluzhny also promised to retake Crimea when he has sufficient resources. He stated, “as soon as I have everything I need, I will do something. I don’t care, no one will stop me”.
President Zelensky said earlier in April that the Ukrainian military intends to retake Crimea, but noted that the success of this action depends, among other things, on arms supplies. Medvedev responded with several options for a possible response, including “acts of retaliation” against key figures in the Ukrainian leadership and “mass destruction of personnel” of the Ukrainian army during the counteroffensive.
