Given the last days of momentum and growing pressure coming from some NATO countries, this was perhaps inevitable: in a huge escalation which takes the world a big step closer to WW3 and nuclear-armed confrontation.

Politico is reporting Thursday afternoon, "The Biden administration has quietly given Ukraine permission to strike inside Russia -- solely near the area of Kharkiv -- using U.S.-provided weapons, two U.S. officials and two other people familiar with the move said Thursday, a major reversal that will help Ukraine to better defend its second-largest city."

An anonymous US official was cited a saying, "The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use U.S. weapons for counter-fire purposes in Kharkiv so Ukraine can hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them."

The same official stipulated that the policy of not allowing long-range strikes inside Russia "has not changed." However, this is surely going to be a from Russia's point of view, as it makes attacking Russia's sovereign territory with US weaponry 'allowable' for the first time. According to more details of what are expected to be the immediate implications: 

Ukraine has been complaining that all restrictions need to be taken off if it is to defend against Russia's recent major offensive in Kharkiv, which was launched from across the border. For example, Russian artillery is able to fire from rear positions within the Belgorod region near the border. It meanwhile remains part of Moscow's stated aim to push the border deeper into Ukraine to create a 'buffer zone' - making it harder for pro-Kiev forces to shell Russian towns and villages.

Politico's fresh reporting is consistent with something Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. While visiting Moldova - itself feeling the pressure of the war right next door - Blinken laid out that the US does not "encourage or enable" Ukrainian attacks inside Russia - but he then moved the goalpost by stressing the US would "adapt and adjust" this position based on developing battlefield needs.

A reporter followed up by asking if he meant the White House will now support Ukrainian attacks inside Russia. Blinken responded with: "Adapt and adjust means exactly that."

The Biden administration gave a non-Ukrainian foreign intelligence service permission to strike inside Russia using sleeper cells 48 hours prior to the invasion. https://t.co/Kdnn2EgJfJ

-- Jack Murphy (@JackMurphyRGR) May 30, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned earlier this week there will be "major consequences" if NATO countries support long-range strikes on Russian territory. While it's long been clear that US, UK, French, and other West-supplied weaponry has been used against Crimea, this has yet to be the case when it comes to Russia proper. Or at least any such attack has not been made public yet.

This significant shift underscores the desperation of Western allies as Ukrainian forces have been getting rolled back in the Kharkiv region. It seems Washington, London, Paris, and Brussels simply cannot stomach a Ukrainian loss - but this desperation is leading to deepened and highly dangerous Western deepening involvement in the conflict. 

Meanwhile...

Has anyone noticed that the means by which Trump may or may not have transmitted a payment to a pornstar has been receiving vastly more coverage, commentary, and debate, than the US clearly lurching toward open approval of direct strikes on the world's largest nuclear superpower pic.twitter.com/aQ6hJk4i46

-- Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 30, 2024

Insane. pic.twitter.com/9ZiT0NzoWo

-- David Sacks (@DavidSacks) May 30, 2024