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Weapons rules and warnings before 5 June 2024
Summary
A look back at the security picture in the days around 5 June 2024, as Western limits on striking Russia loosened and Moscow threatened French instructors.
What had changed in the rules of the war by 5 June 2024? In the preceding week, several Western governments had eased restrictions on how Ukraine could use the weapons they supplied, and Moscow had answered with warnings.
Permission to strike across the border
On 30 May 2024, the United States gave Ukraine permission to strike Russian territory near Kharkiv Oblast with U.S.-supplied weapons, though not with long-range missiles. The same day, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Denmark had approved Ukrainian airstrikes on Russian territory using Danish-supplied F-16 jets.
On 2 June 2024, Russia accused NATO and the United States of provoking a new level of tension after some allies agreed to let Ukraine's military use Western-supplied weapons against targets inside Russia.
Moscow's warning on French instructors
On 4 June 2024, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that French military instructors would be legitimate targets if they were deployed to Ukraine. The statement added to the exchange of warnings between Russia and NATO members over the scope of Western military aid.
Strikes on both sides
The fighting continued alongside the diplomacy. On 31 May 2024, Russian missiles hit civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv, killing at least three people and injuring 16. The same day, Ukraine launched missile and drone strikes across Krasnodar Krai in Russia, injuring two people and damaging several oil refineries.
On 1 June 2024, Russia launched missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, injuring at least four people and damaging critical infrastructure, including energy facilities. Ukraine said it shot down 35 of 53 missiles and 46 of 47 drones.
A rare exchange
There was one point of cooperation. On 31 May 2024, Ukraine and Russia announced their first exchange of prisoners of war in nearly four months. A total of 150 people were freed after negotiations mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
The picture on 5 June 2024
By 5 June 2024, the security debate centred on how far Western-supplied arms could be used, and on Moscow's response. Washington's permission was limited to the area near Kharkiv Oblast and excluded long-range missiles, while Denmark's approval covered airstrikes using F-16 jets. Russia, for its part, had framed these decisions as escalation and had extended its warnings to foreign military personnel who might be sent to Ukraine.
