British weapons can be used by Ukrainian forces in operations on Russian territory, the British Ministry of Defense said today, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The agency notes that, according to the department, however, restrictions on the use of long-range British cruise missiles "Storm Shadow" remain in effect.
Over the past two weeks, Ukraine carried out the largest external attack on Russian sovereign territory since World War II, which a Kiev official said was aimed at creating a buffer zone to protect the Ukrainian population from attacks, Reuters commented.
Defining the use of arms supplies in some of the strongest terms yet, a British Ministry of Defense spokesman said Ukraine had a "clear right to self-defence against Russia's illegal attacks" and "this does not exclude operations on the territory of Russia".
"During the grant process, we clearly state that the equipment must be used in accordance with international law," he said.
This policy means that British tanks, anti-tank missiles and other military equipment supplied to Ukraine can be used on Russian soil as part of Kiev's defense against a Russian invasion. But restrictions on UK-supplied long-range Storm Shadow missiles, which can only be used within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders, remain in place.
Using multiple drones, heavy artillery and tanks, Ukraine claims to have captured more than 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory since August 6 – a move that Russian leader Vladimir Putin called a "big provocation".
Ukrainian troops may have also used UK-supplied "Challenger 2" tanks. on Russian territory, but the British Ministry of Defense refused to comment on whether British tanks were used in Russia, notes Reuters.