The Netherlands Allows AFU To Strike Objects In Russian Rear With Their Weapons

• 10.09.2024, 8:05

Including with the F-16s.

The Ukrainian army is allowed to strike all Russian territory with weapons supplied by the Netherlands.

This is reported by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

The country's Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said that Ukraine can use Dutch weapons on the territory of Russia for defence in accordance with international law.

‘Ukraine has the right to self-defence. And if the country is attacked from border areas or from Russian airfields, it can aim at military targets. The same applies to enemy missiles - they can also be intercepted by our weapons over Russia,’ the defence chief said.

Brekelmans also added that ‘international law is not limited by distance’ and that ‘the right to self-defence does not end 100 kilometres from the border’. ‘We have not imposed any operational distance restrictions on Ukraine,’ he said.

The minister clarified that the authorisation to strike Russia also explicitly refers to the F-16 fighter jets that the Netherlands will transfer to Ukraine.

Brekelmans also called on other Western countries to lift restrictions on the use of weapons they supply to Ukraine.