US Does Not Assist Ukraine in Striking Russian Territories: Blinken

Washington currently does not even have detailed information on whether Ukrainian armed forces launched strikes on Russian airports the day before, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated.

"We do not encourage the Ukrainians to strike Russian territories and we are not providing them with the means to carry out such strikes," Blinken said.

At the same time, Blinken reaffirmed the official Washington's determination to ensure that Kyiv has the necessary weapons for self-defense.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, for his part, assured that while the U.S. is not providing such long-range weaponry to Ukraine, it will not hinder Kyiv from "developing its own capabilities to carry out long-range strikes."

These statements by senior U.S. officials come after drone strikes on three Russian airports located in the rear that occurred the day before.