Dmitry Medvedev, serving as Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, stated in an interview that if Kyiv deploys American made multiple launch rocket systems against Russian targets, the Russian Armed Forces will act to neutralize what he described as centers of decision making. He indicated that such steps could reach into the ranks of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, noting that the ultimate decision centers are not confined to Kyiv itself and must be considered as part of any credible threat assessment.
US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink had previously signaled that Washington would not limit the range of HIMARS MLRS and that deliveries to Ukraine were imminent. He highlighted a recent aid package worth seven hundred million dollars and said the Ukrainian forces would calibrate the distances at which they engage targets, underscoring a shift toward longer reach in the field. The aim, in his view, was to improve accuracy against enemy targets and to provide longer range artillery capabilities for Ukraine.
Earlier, the White House emphasized a security boundary for the missile range, stating that the MLRS will not exceed eighty kilometers. On June 1, President Joe Biden formally approved the seven hundred million dollar package, which would supply Ukrainian troops with HIMARS systems along with helicopters, tactical vehicles, Javelin anti-tank missiles, and Stinger anti-aircraft systems. Authorities described the eleventh package of military aid as primarily defensive, with Kyiv pledging not to use the MLRS to strike Russian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that Ukrainian forces would not attack Russia with weapons supplied by the United States. He acknowledged that some voices in the United States or in the White House have raised the possibility of an offensive use, but he stated clearly that Ukraine does not seek battle on Russian soil and has no interest in fighting within Russia.
Nevertheless, Zelensky also acknowledged that Ukrainian authorities face operational challenges in certain regions. He noted ongoing difficulties and debated details, while reporting daily losses that included roughly sixty to one hundred soldiers killed and around five hundred wounded. The broader security situation remains tense as the conflict persists.
Meanwhile, Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, questioned Kyiv and Western promises regarding the use of MLRS against Russian territory. She warned that assurances from Ukrainian leaders and Western officials should be treated with skepticism, arguing that such statements carry little lasting value. In Moscow’s view, Kiev has previously exhausted its trust by failing to fulfill commitments related to peaceful settlement efforts in Donbass.
Against this backdrop, Yegor Chernev, a deputy in the Verkhovna Rada, suggested that the Ukrainian armed forces could strike Russian targets with HIMARS. He emphasized that while Kyiv could assume some obligations, no guarantees exist about the trajectory of a rocket once launched. He pointed to alternate capabilities in Ukrainian arsenals, such as howitzers, self-propelled guns, and Tochka-U missiles, as potential means to strike defined targets in Russia. This framing underscores the ongoing debate inside Ukraine about how to balance defensive needs with regional risk.