Ukraine's Offensive On Russia: What Do US, UK And Germany Really Think?

As Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine continues to escalate, there is a growing debate about the legitimacy of Kyiv's actions against Moscow. The Western allies have expressed mixed responses, with the U.S. opposing counterattacks in Russian cities, while the U.K. and Germany support Ukraine’s right to target Russian territory. 

What Happened: Steffen Heberstreit, the German government's official spokesman, on Wednesday, said he believes the international law allows Ukraine to launch counterattacks on Russian territory as a measure of self-defense.

Heberstreit’s remarks came in response to a recent drone attack on Moscow on Tuesday, when, according to Russian media, 25 to 32 drones attacked at least two double-story buildings in Moscow. 

However, Berlin, in a commentary for German media outlet DW, has clarified that it does not support Ukraine using German weapons for such offensives.

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U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also endorsed Ukraine's right to attack "legitimate military targets" in Russia. "It’s important to remember that Ukraine does have the legitimate right to defend itself," Cleverly told media, according to The Telegraph.

"It has a legitimate right to do so within its own borders, of course, but it does also have the right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia’s ability to project force into Ukraine itself," he added. 

While the two allies have supported Ukraine's defense moves, the U.S., which has directed nearly more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine since the onset of the war, is against it. 

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Washington, which is still in the process of gathering information about the Moscow drone strikes, has argued that it does not approve of the attacks on Russian territory. “As a general matter, we do not support attacks inside of Russia," a White House spokesperson said.

The earlier attack on the Kremlin, which Moscow dubbed an assassination attempt on President Putin, also raised concerns among U.S. officials. The administration was then reportedly worried about the potential repercussions if Putin were to blame Washington for the attack, leading to the war spilling beyond Ukraine's borders.

Meanwhile, an earlier report revealed that Kyiv was behind the assassination of a prominent Russian nationalist's daughter, the murder of a pro-Russian blogger, and several recent assaults in Russian cities. However, it was unclear whether Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy or his top aides were aware of the operation. 

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