Western permission for strikes inside Russia stops S-300 attacks on Kharkiv for days
In a strategic shift backed by Western allies, Ukraine's cross-border strikes on Russian air defense systems have brought a rare respite to Kharkiv, offering its residents a two-day break from the relentless S-300 missile attacks that have terrorized the city for months.
The situation in Kharkiv has become less intense in the last two days. After Ukraine’s allies eased the restrictions on the use of their weapons supplied to Kyiv to strike inside Russia, the occupiers have not hit the city with S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile systems, said Oleksandr Skoryk, a deputy of the Kharkiv Regional Council, according to Kyiv 24.
A S-300 missile system was designed to destroy aircraft and intercept cruise and ballistic missiles. However, Russians are insidiously using the system to hit civilian targets.
Patriot air defense systems are capable of downing these missiles that have an aeroballistic trajectory and that have been transformed by invaders into “ground-to-ground” class weapons.
“For two days in a row, no S-300 missiles have been launched on Kharkiv after our partners allowed us to strike the territory of our neighbors. Ukraine’s Armed Forces simply destroyed some of their systems. Air raid alerts are now ringing in the city if only there is a threat of guided bombs and Russian aviation flights,” said Skoryk.
Recently, the Biden administration relaxed its policy forbidding Ukraine from using US weapons to hit military bases inside Russia. It permitted Ukraine to use American-supplied HIMARS artillery to strike Russian soldiers and command and control centers, but only near Kharkiv. Nevertheless, the White House prohibits deeper strikes with the long-range ATACMS systems.
Ukraine launched a precision strike deep inside Russian territory on Friday, just hours after the restrictions on the use of American munitions were lifted.
Ukraine struck Russia with HIMARS just hours after the ban was lifted
The Ukrainian army utilized HIMARS to target Belgorod, a key base for Russian attacks in northern Ukraine. Previously, Ukraine had only used locally-made or European munitions for such strikes.
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