Pentagon Pressed On Ukraine's Engagement Rules Expanding To Include 'Everywhere' In Russia

3 months ago

Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder was asked about the expansion of Ukraine's engagement rules using US weaponry.

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Transcript

00:00You go here to CNN. Thanks, General Ryder. So National Security Advisor Sullivan said earlier

00:05this week that with regards to the policy allowing Ukraine to use US-made weapons to

00:10strike over the border into Russia, that policy, quote, extends to anywhere that Russian forces

00:15are coming across the border from the Russian side to the Ukrainian side. So is that consistent with

00:21the Pentagon's understanding of this policy, or has the policy expanded beyond just that kind of

00:26narrow Kharkiv region that it was initially understood to be when this policy decision was

00:31made? Yeah. So there has been no change in the policy. And really, at the end of the day,

00:36this comes down to counterfire, right? And what you saw in the Kharkiv region as Russia was

00:41conducting its offensive was the massing of forces, artillery fire, preparatory fire into

00:48Ukraine as they conducted these operations. And so the ability to be able to fire back when fired

00:55upon is really what this policy is focused on. So again, as we see Russian forces firing across

01:03the border, you know, the ability for Ukraine to fire back at those ground forces using US-provided

01:10munitions, it's self-defense. And so it makes sense for them to be able to do that. And that

01:16applies only to the border areas? Or could it be further into Russia? Or just that? Again,

01:21you know, if you look back at kind of the early days of this war, and you had Russian forces that

01:26were, you know, and still are to a large degree, but in mass within Ukrainian occupied territory,

01:32what you saw were force on force conflicts that were happening within sovereign Ukraine. So in

01:40this case, what you see is Russian forces attempting to use their border as a safe zone from

01:46which to conduct preparatory fires and attacks into Ukraine in support of offensive actions. And

01:52so again, as we see those forces conducting those types of operations from across the border,

01:58we've explained, you know, Ukraine can and does have the right to fire back to defend themselves.

02:04So again, not a change to the policy that was announced earlier. Now, when it comes to long-term

02:09or excuse me, long-range munitions, like ATACMS, again, there's been no change in the policy in

02:15that regard. But it's broader than just Kharkiv, to be clear. Correct. You know, it's focusing on

02:20the strategic intent here, which is counter fire when you're attacked, you know, returning fire.

Pentagon Pressed On Ukraine's Engagement Rules Expanding To Include 'Everywhere' In Russia

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