Russian sources claim Ukraine has fired US-made weapons inside Russia’s Belgorod for the first time as Washington lifted the ban on using its ammunition on Moscow.
Ukrainian forces reportedly used the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars), which is a light multiple rocket launcher, to hit bordering Belgorod city, claimed Russian defence ministry and Russian military bloggers.
Last week, the US allowed Ukraine a limited right to use US-made weapons at military targets inside Russia as Russian forces intensified their offensive on Ukrainian cities and villages.
This comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused China of helping Russia to disrupt an upcoming Swiss-organised peace conference on the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at Asia’s premier security conference, Mr Zelensky said that China is pressuring other countries and their leaders not to attend the upcoming talks. He did not say which ones.
“Regrettably this is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in the hands of (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin,” he said at a news conference at the Shangri-La Dialogue defence forum.