US does not force Ukraine to “refrain” from strikes on referendum regions

The White House does not ask the Armed Forces of Ukraine to “refrain” from strikes, including with the use of American weapons, on territories that may become part of the Russian Federation as a result of referendums. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) writes about this, citing US officials.

M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) vehicles with 1st Battalion, 181st Field Artillery Regiment, Tennessee Army National Guard participating in Saber Strike 17 execute a fire mission at Bemoko Piskie, Poland, June 16, 2017. This year’s exercise includes integrated and synchronized deterrence-oriented training designed to improve interoperability and readiness of the 20 participating nations’ militaries. (U.S. Army photo by Markus Rauchenberger)

The newspaper refers to the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, which decided to organize referendums on joining Russia. The United States dubbed it an attempt by Russia to “annex” the territories of Ukraine.

The publication believes that the Biden administration has not yet provided Kyiv with ATACMS (Army tactical missile system) ballistic missiles with a range of up to 300 km. Moreover, it was previously reported that the US authorities agreed with Ukraine that the Armed Forces of Ukraine would not use the supplied HIMARS missiles and other projectiles for attacks on Russian territory.

Experts interviewed by the publication say “threats and counter-threats” from both sides increase the likelihood that some of the “deterrent mechanisms” in place to prevent further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine may stop working. At the same time, according to US officials, at the moment there is no evidence that Russia is preparing to use tactical nuclear weapons.

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