Our next story is about Ukraine.
It got a massive shot in the arm from its
biggest backers,
the US. This is what reports say Ukraine can now
use American weapons to strike Russian territory.
So far, Kievs hands were partially tied.
They were getting Western weapons,
but there was a limit on how how they could
be used.
The Western weapons could not be used to strike targets
inside Russia.
They were only meant for defense.
But it seems Joe Biden has finally bowed to pressure
from his fellow NATO allies.
They've they wanted Biden to unshackle Ukraine for a while
now,
and it seems he's finally given in.
What will this mean for Ukraine?
How far into Russia can they strike?
And how will Moscow respond to this escalation?
Our next report has the details.
Escalation. Well, its
Russia has escalated by invading another country and Russia has
escalated just last weeks by opening a new front
where they are hitting Ukraine from inside Russia.
And of course to assume that Ukraine should not
hit back is in no way
reasonable because Ukraine must be able to defend their territory.
Also, of course, by hitting the
the artillery, the missiles which are launched against them.
That was Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO.
He's echoing what some NATO member states have been saying
for a while,
that Ukraine should be allowed to hit military installations inside
Russian territory.
It started with the UK.
In early May, the British Foreign Secretary,
David Cameron, said Ukraine had the right to use British
weapons to conduct strikes inside Russia.
This Tuesday, two other major NATO members gave their approval.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said
that Ukraine should be allowed to defend itself,
even if that means hitting targets inside Russia.
NATO members have also been building pressure on the blocs
biggest and most lethal member,
the US.
And it seems to have worked because yesterday we saw
reports like this.
The Biden administration has quietly given Ukraine permission to strike
inside Russia.
The words secretly and quietly show that Biden may not
have wanted Russia to find out so soon.
But Washington has only partially united
Ukraine's hands. Ukraine can now use American weapons on Russian
soil,
but only near Khaki.
Khaki is Ukraine's second largest city.
Its barely 30 kilometers away from the Russian border,
and Moscow has been pummelling Ukrainian forces around Khaki for
weeks.
Kiev has found it impossible to defend against this because
Russia has been launching these attacks from inside its own
territory.
This posed a big challenge for Ukraine since it had
to wait until the missiles crossed the border before shooting
them down,
and it is why Khaki is in danger of capitulation.
Russia is reportedly amassing its troops near Khakiv,
but because they are inside Russian territory so far,
Ukraine could not do anything about them,
at least not with US supplied weapons.
Now, with Bidens covert thumbs up,
Kiev can attack Russian troops and bases
using American howitzers, highmars, grads and everything else.
American anti aircraft systems like the Patriot can now be
fired into Russian airspace.
This is a massive escalation
today, the Kremlin spokesperson said.
And I quote, we know that attempts are already being
made to launch attacks on Russian territory using American made
weapons.
This is enough for us,
and it more than eloquently demonstrates the degree of involvement
of the United States in this conflict.
Here's what Russia's defence minister said.
Russia's military grouping is forcing the enemy out of their
positions.
Advances are taking place in all tactical directions.
As a result of active actions in different areas of
the Kharki region,
the enemy has retreated 8-9 kilometers.
So Russia will push on with its offensive.
But will the changes in U.S.
policy change equations on the battlefield?
South Africa's made 29th elections.
It
was a start of change in the country.
We are on the bed of history.
I am standing here at the forefront of change,
where voices echo the call for action.
The nation grapples with an unemployment crisis.
As S Africans prepare to cast their votes,
the question looms, will the winds of change usher in
a new era,
or will the legacy of the past maintain its grip
on the future?