Pentagon: US considers Ukraine's attack on Russian border as 'self-defense'
The Pentagon said the US considered the attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russia's Kursk region as "an act of self-defense against attacks from the region."
According to TASS news agency, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said at a regular press briefing on August 8 (Washington time) that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' attacks in the Kursk region using US weapons were in line with Washington's policy.
“Yes, this is in line with our policy,” Sabrina Singh said, answering a journalist’s question about the offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Russia’s Kursk region.
According to a Pentagon representative, the US considered the attack as “self-defense against attacks from this area”, “in accordance with US policy”.
Responding to a clarifying question about whether Washington would be ready to support an attack on Moscow or another Russian city if information emerged that an attack was allegedly being prepared, Ms. Singh asserted that the United States “still does not support Ukrainian attacks using American weapons deep into Russian territory.”
At the same time, Ms. Singh announced that she would not specify the maximum range within which the US allows attacks with US weapons on Russian territory, adding that the US allows attacks on Russian territory in counter-battery warfare.
“The Ukrainian Armed Forces are aware of US policy and what we stand for,” Ms. Singh affirmed.
“I am not going to draw a map in front of you showing the areas they can and cannot attack, but we clearly communicated our position to the Ukrainians,” she stressed.
Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House had no prior knowledge of the plans of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Speaking on July 11 at a press conference after the NATO Summit in Washington, US President Joe Biden said that allowing the use of US weapons to attack Moscow or deep into Russian territory is meaningless.