Journalists asked Kirby whether the Russian attack on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv might produce a change in U.S. policy on how Ukraine may use Western weapons. Most cruise and aeroballistic missiles used against Ukraine are air-launched, but the Ukrainian military is currently prohibited from attacking airfields in Russian territory.
“There has been no change in our policy,” Kirby responded.
“Ukrainian forces can use U.S. weapons for [near-] border strikes. The permission remains valid.”
Around midday on July 8, Russia launched several dozen cruise and ballistic missiles at Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, and other Ukrainian cities. The attack killed 33 people and injured 140.
Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept only a majority of incoming missiles, with a lot of them concentrated at striking the capital simultaneously, having approached from different directions. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 30 of the 38 missiles were shot down.