US never restricted Ukraine's ability to down Russian aircraft in Russia – senior White House official

The United States has never imposed any restrictions on Ukraine's ability to shoot down Russian aircraft in Russia.

Source: John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, at a briefing

Details: Kirby said that there had never been any restrictions for Ukraine regarding shooting down Russian aircraft, even if they were not in Ukrainian airspace.

The military can shoot down Russian aircraft that pose an impending threat. Kirby stressed that the Ukrainians had been doing this since the beginning of the full-scale war.

When asked by journalists whether he could confirm reports that Ukraine had used US-supplied weapons on Russian territory for the first time, Kirby said he could not answer that question. 

Quote from Kirby: "As I said, we’re just not in a position on a day-to-day basis of knowing exactly what the Ukrainians are firing at what. It’s certainly at a tactical level. So, I can’t confirm that. I can tell you that they understand the guidance that they’ve been given."

Background:

• Earlier, Kirby did not rule out the possibility of extending authorisation for Ukraine to use US-supplied weapons in the future and stressed that everything would depend on the situation on the battlefield.

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