EU foreign policy chief:

Allow Western weapons for attacks in Russia

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell

(Bild: AFP)

While the Ukrainian offensive in the Russian border region of Kursk is in full swing, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell believes that Kiev should be allowed to use Western weapons on Russian soil.

Such a decision would "strengthen Ukraine's self-defense" and thus "save lives and reduce destruction in Ukraine", Borrell said on Wednesday in the online service X.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi once again called on his Western allies to lift the restrictions on the use of the supplied weapons. "Ukraine can only stop the advance of the Russian army at the front by making a single decision, which we expect from our partners: the decision on long-range capabilities," explained the head of state of the war-torn country.

Tanks from Great Britain are already being used
According to media reports, the Ukrainian army is already using tanks supplied by Great Britain in its advance in the Russian border region of Kursk. The British Ministry of Defense has stated that this is in accordance with international law. The USA and the German government are also already allowing Kiev to use its weapons on Russian soil, but only against targets in the Russian border area with the Kharkiv region.

The EU foreign and defense ministers are also due to discuss a possible lifting of the restrictions next week. However, the final decision is up to the member states. Borrell announced on Wednesday that the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba would also be attending the meeting in Brussels.

Sudzha, Kursk Oblast

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Selenskyj: Hopes for billions in aid promised by the West
According to Selenskyj, Ukraine is now hoping that the billions in aid promised by the West, which is also to be financed from the proceeds of frozen Russian state assets, will soon be allocated. There have been many political declarations from Kiev's partners and many more are to be expected, the president said in his evening video address. "But we need a real mechanism."

Ukraine needs the proceeds from Russia's assets for its defense against the aggressor Russia. "The relevant discussions have been going on for far too long and we finally need decisions."

The seven major Western industrialized nations (G7) agreed on new financial aid for Kiev at their summit in June. A generous loan of 50 billion dollars is to be secured by interest income from frozen Russian assets.

Russia advances in eastern Ukraine
In view of the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine, many people have fled from villages near the front line. Residents of the village of Myrnohrad, ten kilometers from the combat zones, told the AFP news agency that the increasing Russian attacks had driven several people to flee. AFP reporters on the ground observed several houses in Myrnohrad catch fire after Russian attacks.

Air force chief: "Successful offensive in Kursk"
 But Russia is not resting easy either. Ukrainian air force chief Mykola Oleshchuk has reported successful missions by his fighter pilots during the offensive in the western Russian region of Kursk. In particular, precision bombs were used against Russian positions and troop concentrations. Even though Russian units have now begun to integrate abandoned houses into their defensive lines, they are unable to evade the attacks.

"We see everything, we know everything," wrote Oleshchuk on the Telegram platform. "Our precision bombs will find you everywhere." Precision bombs are glide bombs that can be remotely controlled by pilots. During the advance in the Kursk region, two important bridges over the Sejm River were destroyed by fighter planes.