Kyiv, Ukraine has renewed its plea to the West for permission to conduct strikes deeper into Russian territory after a recent meeting between U.S. and British leaders did not result in any apparent change in policy regarding the use of long-range weapons. The Ukrainian government reported that Russia had carried out additional drone and artillery attacks in Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian presidential adviser Andriy Yermak emphasized the need to target Russian weapons depots, airfields, and military bases within Russia to hasten the resolution of the conflict.
Ukrainian officials have been urging their allies to authorize the use of long-range weapons provided by Western countries to target locations deep inside Russia. Currently, the U.S. has granted Ukraine permission to utilize American-provided weapons only in a limited area along Russia’s border with Ukraine. Although discussions regarding permitting long-range strikes were reportedly part of the recent talks between U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, no decision was immediately announced.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has been advocating for the ability to employ Western weapons to strike air bases and launch sites in Russia as Russia has escalated attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure ahead of winter. Zelenskyy shared on social media that more than 70 Russian drones were launched into Ukraine overnight, with the Ukrainian air force reporting that 76 drones were spotted, and 72 of them were intercepted.
Overnight attacks also led to casualties in Ukraine, including one person killed by Russian artillery fire in the Sumy region and three individuals who died in a Russian strike on an agricultural facility in Huliaipole. Moscow officials have cautioned Western nations against authorizing long-range strikes, warning that such actions could exacerbate tensions between Russia and the West. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused the U.S. and Britain of fueling escalation in the conflict.
Despite these warnings, a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine brokered by the United Arab Emirates occurred, with 206 prisoners from both sides being released. This marks the eighth such exchange since the beginning of 2024, bringing the total number of prisoners exchanged to 1,994. Images of soldiers reuniting with loved ones were shared by both sides, with President Zelenskyy expressing relief that “Our people are home”. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that 19 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, and a woman died in Bezlyudovka village after a Ukrainian shell struck her home.
