Russia Zelensky asks for a free hand for military counterattacks

Following the recent Russian airstrike on the eastern city of Kharkiv, which left one person dead and 42 injured, the Ukrainian leadership has once again asked for a free hand in possible counter-attacks.

"This terror can only be fought through a systemic solution, which would be a long-range solution," said President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in his evening video address - by which he means permission to use long-range weapons against targets deep inside Russian territory.

Destroying Russian military aircraft where they are stationed is an "obvious, logical solution", said Selensky. His country's partners had already been told several times why the Ukrainian armed forces needed sufficient range for their weapons.

"Every such Russian attack, every manifestation of Russian terror, such as today against Kharkiv, against our Sumy region, against our Donetsk region, proves that the range must be sufficient," said Zelenskyi. Ukraine expects corresponding decisions first and foremost from the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy - "from everyone who can help save lives with their determination".

Ukraine's allies have so far refused to allow Kiev to use heavy, long-range weapons supplied by them against targets in Russia. Instead, Ukraine is using drones of its own production, which only have low explosive power. Moscow has recently threatened that it would regard such use of heavy weapons as NATO involvement in the war against Russia.

Zelensky complains about lack of weapons

According to Zelenskyi, Ukraine no longer even has enough weapons to fully equip its troops. "We need to equip 14 brigades, but we can only equip four brigades of the weapons supplied so far," said Zelensky in an interview with the well-known US journalist Fareed Zakaria. Parts of the interview were published on the Telegram platform and in Ukrainian media. Selensky attributed the lack of material to slow deliveries.

Especially during the period in which US arms deliveries were blocked in Congress in Washington for months at the beginning of the year, Ukraine had used up all its reserves, Selensky continued. "We gave everything we had in reserve, both in depots and in reserve units," he explained. "We spent all the weapons they still had." Now, however, these reserve units must be rearmed, the Ukrainian president emphasized.

Selensky had recently pointed out several times that promised weapons aid from allies was often delivered with great delay. This makes warfare more difficult, especially in the defense of heavily contested regions in eastern Ukraine.

Selensky wants to present victory plan in Washington

In the interview, Zelensky also announced that he would shortly be presenting a plan for victory in Washington. "I have prepared several points, four of which are fundamental," he said. They concern security, Ukraine's geopolitical position and military and economic support for his country. He did not go into any more detail.

Selensky emphasized that the implementation of these points depended exclusively on US President Joe Biden and not at all on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. An exact date for Zelensky's visit to Washington has not been set, but it is expected to take place around the UN General Assembly at the end of September.

Heavy fighting continues

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops continue to engage in heavy fighting with Russian units in the western Russian region of Kursk. According to reports from the state agency Tass, Russian troops have made small territorial gains in the course of their counter-offensive. "We are continuing our active operations," said Selensky on the situation on this section of the front.

In eastern Ukraine, Russian troops continued their attacks against Ukrainian positions around the Donbass with undiminished vigor. The General Staff in Kiev reported 23 Russian assault attacks near Pokrovsk during the course of the day, while 27 attacks were repulsed near Kurakhove. The information could not be independently verified.