01:42Ukraine is allowed to use US-supplied long-range weapons to hit Crimea as it 'is part of Ukraine', Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said at a press conference in Washington DC on Tuesday.
"Our policy is that the long-range weapons that we provide to Ukraine are for use inside Ukraine's sovereign territory," Ryder said, when the reporter followed up asking him to clarify on the use of long -range weapons 'inside Crimea'.
"That's part of Ukraine, correct," Ryder replied.
On June 23, a deadly strike hit the city of Sevastopol in Crimea killing three people and injuring over 100.The Russian Defense Ministry accused the United States of being responsible because it was allegedly carried out with ATACMS missiles, supplied by Washington to Kiev.
The US has strongly rejected the claims, dismissing them as 'ridiculous and hyperbolic'. Washington has started supplying Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles with a 300-km range (186 miles) earlier this year.
On Monday, Vasily Nebenzya, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, denounced what he called the West's 'shameful' rejection of Moscow's 'evidence' of the alleged US involvement in the deadly shelling.
Ryder went on to reiterate Secretary of Defence's Lloyd Austin's claim that Ukraine's future was in NATO but that 'it's an alliance decision' involving 32 member countries.
"The things that we are doing now, are - and you've heard others say this - is build a bridge for Ukraine to come into NATO," Ryder stated.
Asked to address concerns by some 'allies' who claim that Russia could be preparing for an attack on a NATO country within three to five years, Ryder replied that Moscow was 'very clearly' outlined as an 'accute threat' in the national defence strategy.
Kiev allowed to strike inside Crimea as 'part of Ukraine' using US long-range weapons - Pentagon
Ukraine is allowed to use US-supplied long-range weapons to hit Crimea as it 'is part of Ukraine', Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said at a press conference in Washington DC on Tuesday.
"Our policy is that the long-range weapons that we provide to Ukraine are for use inside Ukraine's sovereign territory," Ryder said, when the reporter followed up asking him to clarify on the use of long -range weapons 'inside Crimea'.
"That's part of Ukraine, correct," Ryder replied.
On June 23, a deadly strike hit the city of Sevastopol in Crimea killing three people and injuring over 100.The Russian Defense Ministry accused the United States of being responsible because it was allegedly carried out with ATACMS missiles, supplied by Washington to Kiev.
The US has strongly rejected the claims, dismissing them as 'ridiculous and hyperbolic'. Washington has started supplying Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles with a 300-km range (186 miles) earlier this year.
On Monday, Vasily Nebenzya, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, denounced what he called the West's 'shameful' rejection of Moscow's 'evidence' of the alleged US involvement in the deadly shelling.
Ryder went on to reiterate Secretary of Defence's Lloyd Austin's claim that Ukraine's future was in NATO but that 'it's an alliance decision' involving 32 member countries.
"The things that we are doing now, are - and you've heard others say this - is build a bridge for Ukraine to come into NATO," Ryder stated.
Asked to address concerns by some 'allies' who claim that Russia could be preparing for an attack on a NATO country within three to five years, Ryder replied that Moscow was 'very clearly' outlined as an 'accute threat' in the national defence strategy.
Ukraine is allowed to use US-supplied long-range weapons to hit Crimea as it 'is part of Ukraine', Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said at a press conference in Washington DC on Tuesday.
"Our policy is that the long-range weapons that we provide to Ukraine are for use inside Ukraine's sovereign territory," Ryder said, when the reporter followed up asking him to clarify on the use of long -range weapons 'inside Crimea'.
"That's part of Ukraine, correct," Ryder replied.
On June 23, a deadly strike hit the city of Sevastopol in Crimea killing three people and injuring over 100.The Russian Defense Ministry accused the United States of being responsible because it was allegedly carried out with ATACMS missiles, supplied by Washington to Kiev.
The US has strongly rejected the claims, dismissing them as 'ridiculous and hyperbolic'. Washington has started supplying Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles with a 300-km range (186 miles) earlier this year.
On Monday, Vasily Nebenzya, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, denounced what he called the West's 'shameful' rejection of Moscow's 'evidence' of the alleged US involvement in the deadly shelling.
Ryder went on to reiterate Secretary of Defence's Lloyd Austin's claim that Ukraine's future was in NATO but that 'it's an alliance decision' involving 32 member countries.
"The things that we are doing now, are - and you've heard others say this - is build a bridge for Ukraine to come into NATO," Ryder stated.
Asked to address concerns by some 'allies' who claim that Russia could be preparing for an attack on a NATO country within three to five years, Ryder replied that Moscow was 'very clearly' outlined as an 'accute threat' in the national defence strategy.