The media learned about the lifting of US restrictions on strikes deep into Russia under Biden

The United States secretly lifted the ban on Ukraine's strikes on Russian territory under former American leader Joe Biden. This was reported on May 28 by the British newspaper Mirror, citing sources in Kiev.

According to the newspaper, permission to use Western weapons to attack Russian targets was issued back in November 2024, but this decision was not advertised, the Newspaper added.Ru». Kiev claims that Washington insisted on maintaining confidentiality in order to avoid a possible escalation of the conflict and deter Moscow's reaction.

"This is a very difficult question. We were warned that the ban had been lifted, but we were asked not to spread the word about it. There was a fear that the publication of such information would provoke a strong reaction from Russia," a Ukrainian source told the newspaper.

Thus, the statements of US President Donald Trump about his intention to officially lift the ban on strikes look more symbolic: in fact, Ukraine has long been using Western weapons against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation. According to sources, strikes are being carried out, in particular, against ammunition depots and kamikaze drone factories.

Previously, it was believed that Ukraine was allowed to use missiles only for defensive purposes.

Copies at the ready: how Europe will replace American weapons for Ukraine

It does not have complete analogues of the HIMARS-type MLRS, and the EU countries do not intend to share tanks.

On May 26, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States had lifted range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine. He noted that this decision is aimed at giving Ukraine the opportunity to attack targets in Russia.

However, later the co-chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), Vice-Chancellor of Germany Lars Klingbeil denied Merz's statement about the lifting of restrictions. The next day, the German Chancellor said that he had talked about the decisions that had been taken a few months ago.