Ukraine’s New Fighter Jets Can Strike Inside Russia

(Palinchak/Dreamstime)

Ukraine’s new F-16 fighter jets will be able to strike inside Russia, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said.

The F-16s were donated by the Netherlands as Ukraine awaits the arrival of 24 aircrafts from the country, according to Newsweek.

Ollongren told Politico at an Asian defense summit in Singapore there are no restrictions on hitting targets within Russia.

“Once we hand it over to Ukraine, it’s theirs to use,” she said. “We only ask them to comply to international law and the right to self-defense as stated in the U.N. Charter, which means they use it to target the military goals they need to target in their self-defense.”

Ukraine will be receiving 85 F-16 aircrafts over the summer.

The country has said the inability to strike beyond its borders has allowed Russia to amp up its offensive front, according to Newsweek.

“We have weapons, but we cannot use them against Russia until they cross the border,” Yehor Cherniev — a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and the deputy head of its national security, defense, and intelligence committee — said to Newsweek. “This is ridiculous.”

Poland has said Ukraine should be allowed to hit any target it chooses while the U.S. has said they can only hit cross-border targets near Kharkiv, according to Newsweek. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Ukraine is only allowed to use its weapons within Ukraine, Newsweek reported.