US opposes Ukraine's use of long-range weapons against Russia: Pentagon

WASHINGTON

The US does not support long-range capabilities being used within Russia, a Pentagon spokeswoman said on Monday.

"We don't support long-range strike capabilities into Russia, but yes, like, ammunition, HIMARS, things like that. When it comes to that cross-border region, that is some of the focus of the policy change," Sabrina Singh told the reporters.

Her remarks came after US President Joe Biden last week granted Ukraine secret approval to use US-supplied weapons to strike inside of Russia, but only near the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, where Russian forces entered early May and have since advanced.

Singh said the Russian forces continue to maneuver around Kharkiv, adding: "So those are the type of capabilities that would be useful there. But still, our policy on long-range deep strikes within Russia, we do not support."

When asked whether the American rocket system HIMARS can be used, Singh said: "I'm not going to get into more specifics but we just don't support long-range capabilities being used within Russia."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday thanked US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for Washington’s recent decision to allow Kyiv to use American weapons against Russia.