Polish minister advocates for Ukraine's right to strike deep into Russia with Western weapons

In a statement to CNN, reported by European Pravda, Sikorski noted that while international humanitarian law imposes certain limitations on countries engaged in hostilities, Russia blatantly disregards these rules.

Sikorski called on the West to provide Ukraine with the means to launch attacks deep into Russia. He referenced a recent Russian missile strike in Lviv, which killed almost the entire Bazylevych family.

“I was in Lviv, where a Russian missile killed an entire family - the father watched as the bodies of his wife and three daughters were pulled from the rubble,” Sikorski said.

Polish Foreign Minister noted that Russia is systematically destroying Ukraine's energy infrastructure, with approximately 70% of facilities already damaged.

"The missile that killed the Lviv family was launched from a Russian bomber flying over Russian territory, taking off from a Russian airfield. Give me one good reason why Ukraine should not be allowed to destroy that bomber by striking the airfield it launched from. A nation under attack has the right to defend itself, including by targeting the aggressor's territory," Sikorski said.

He also pointed out that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been operating in Russia's Kursk region since August, suggesting this should ease any concerns the West might have about crossing Moscow's so-called "red lines."

• On August 29, CNN reported that Andrii Yermak and Rustem Umerov would meet with U.S. officials to persuade the White House to lift restrictions on long-range strikes targeting Russian territory. 

• At a meeting in Washington, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov presented U.S. officials with a list of targets in Russia that Ukraine could strike using American long-range weapons if given the chance.

• On August 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on several Western countries to allow Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes on Russian territory. 

• On September 3, reports surfaced that the U.S. was nearing an agreement to supply Ukraine with longer-range missiles capable of hitting targets deep inside Russia, with an official decision potentially coming in the fall.

• On September 6, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the U.S. would not authorize Ukraine to strike deep within Russia, as it would not be a “game changer” in the war. 

• On September 19, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller announced that the U.S. is discussing with its allies the possibility of allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike targets on Russian soil.