Ukraine Allowed To Use US Weapons To Attack Russia, Zelensky: It's Important Not To Allow Patriots To Be Unemployed In Warehouses

President Zelensly visited Ukrainian troops on the front lines. (Source: President.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - President Volodymyr Zelensky appreciates and thanks Ukraine for supporting the air and missile defense systems, saying not to allow Patriot systems and the like to be just unemployed in warehouses.

That was conveyed by President Zelensky in a video recording he uploaded on social media X, after the United States reportedly gave the Kyiv green light to attack Russian territory with their weapons.

"I am very grateful to all our partners who support us with the air defense and missile systems. This is a truly global effort," President Zelensky tweeted on social media X as quoted November 18.

"Every time Russia makes such an attack, it underlines how important it is for partners not to let systems like Patriots and other systems get unemployed in warehouses, but gives them to those who know how to protect lives and desperately need them," he explained.

That was conveyed by President Zelensky after US President Joe Biden's Administration reportedly allowed the use of their homemade weapons to attack Russian territory, two US officials and a source familiar with the decision said on Sunday.

I am deeply grateful to all our partners who support us with air defense systems and missiles. This is a truly global effort. Every time Russia carries out such attacks, it underscores how critical it is that partners don’t leave systems like Patriot and others sitting idle in… pic.twitter.com/4VZu4JpzxG

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 17, 2024

I am deeply grateful to all our partners who support us with air defense systems and missed. This is a truly global effort. Every time Russia cars out such attacks, it underestimates how critical it is that partners don't leave systems like Patriot and others sitting idle in... pic.twitter.com/4VZu4JpzxG

Ukraine plans to carry out its first long-range strike in the coming days, the source said, without disclosing details due to operational security concerns.

"We still haven't received all the necessary systems from our partners, but we are continuing to strive to achieve that goal. Once this system is available, our ability to fend off attacks will be much stronger," President Zelensky said.

"One more thing: The plan to strengthen Ukraine is the Victory Plan that I present to our partners. One of the key elements is to provide our soldiers with remote capabilities. There are many things that are said in today's media that we have accepted the approval to take relative action. But attacks were not carried out in words. These things were not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves," he explained.

It is known that news of the approval came two months before President-elect Donald Trump took office on January 20 and followed a months-long request by President Zelensky to allow the Ukrainian military to use US weapons to attack Russian military targets far from its borders.

Ukraine's first deep attack is likely to be carried out using ATACMS rockets, which have a range of up to 190 miles (306 km), according to the source.

Meanwhile, some US officials have expressed skepticism, allowing long-range attacks to change the course of war as a whole, the decision could help Ukraine by a time when Russian forces make a profit and possibly put Kyiv in a better negotiating position when and if ceasefire talks take place.

The changes took large part in response to Russia's deployment of North Korean ground forces to complement its own forces, developments that raised concerns in Washington and Kyiv, a US official and a source familiar with the decision said.