Netherlands Greenlights Kyiv to Hit Russia, Calls for All to Lift Weapon Restrictions

The Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said that Ukraine can strike anywhere in Russia using weapons provided by his country, according to a Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung report on Monday, Sept 9.

Brekelmans said as far as his government was concerned Ukraine can use any Dutch provided weapons for self-defense in accordance with international law.

“Ukraine has the right to self-defense. If the country is attacked from border areas or Russian airfields, it can target [those] military objects,” Brekelmans said, adding that this also applies to enemy missiles, which can be intercepted by Dutch weapons over Russia.

He also stated that the right to self-defense does not end 100 kilometers from the border, a range limitation the US imposed during Russia’s Kharkiv offensive.

“We have not placed any restrictions on Ukraine regarding operational range,” he said.

Brekelmans also clarified that the permission to strike Russia directly also applies to the F-16 fighters that the Netherlands will provide to Ukraine and called on other Western countries to lift restrictions on the use of weapons they supply to Ukraine.

Despite the Dutch assertion there may still be an issue concerning the use of US made weapons or even weapons that contain components of US origin, such as Harpoon anti-ship missiles or Stinger, man-portable surface-to-air missile system (MANPADS). This could complicate things for Kyiv, if they have to seek additional authorization from Washington before they can engage targets deep inside Russia with weapons donated by the Netherlands.

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It is one of the reasons why the UK and France have not given permission to fire Storm Shadow / SCALP EG cruise missiles into Russia as they use elements of US technology covered by Washington’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

In recent months, Kyiv has repeatedly asked Western partners for permission to use the weapons they have provided to attack military facilities and airbases deep within Russia. These requests have increased since May, after Moscow launched its offensive in the Kharkiv region which saw intensified missile and guided bomb attacks on populated areas. Kyiv’s requests took on more urgency after its forces began an offensive in Russia’s Kursk region in early August.

Most European countries supported Ukraine and granted permission, but the US and Germany opposed such strikes, fearing an escalation of the conflict. For example, the White House allowed its missiles to be used only within a 100-kilometer zone near the Ukrainian-Russian border.

However, as reported by Ukrainian media RBC-Ukraine, Defense Express expert Ivan Kyrychevsky noted that American Stryker wheeled armored vehicles, British Challenger 2 tanks, German Wisent 1 armored recovery vehicles based on the Leopard 1, and Polish PT-91 Twardy tanks were already spotted in combat in Russia's Kursk region. Additionally, German Marder infantry fighting vehicles were also seen in one of the videos.