Sat Sep 14 18:35:51 UTC 2024: ## NATO Chief Says Ukraine Has Military Justification for Striking Deep into Russia
**PRAGUE** – A senior NATO military official has stated that Ukraine would have a valid military reason to strike deeper into Russia using Western weapons. This comes as Ukraine’s allies grapple with the question of whether to allow Kyiv to use long-range missiles against targets within Russia.
Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, said in Prague that the law of armed conflict grants a nation the right to defend itself, even beyond its borders. He added that while this provides a justification for Ukraine’s actions, nations supplying weapons also have the right to impose limitations on their use.
“In military terms, you do (those attacks) because you want to weaken the enemy that attacks you,” Bauer explained. “Not only to fight the arrows that come your way, but also to attack the archer. So, militarily, there is a good reason to do that; to weaken the enemy, to weaken its logistics lines, fuel, ammunition that comes to the front.”
However, Bauer acknowledged that the political implications of supplying weapons to Ukraine are significant, as nations providing them may feel responsible for their use. These political discussions are ongoing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been urging allies to allow Ukraine to use Western missiles, including long-range US ATACMS and British Storm Shadows, to strike deep into Russian territory and disrupt Moscow’s ability to launch attacks.
President Putin has countered that allowing Ukraine to use these missiles would be tantamount to direct Western involvement in the conflict. He further asserted that NATO military personnel would need to be involved in programming the flight paths of the missiles, as Ukraine lacks the necessary capabilities.
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