Heavy bombing against Ukraine pushes pleas to western leaders on long-range missile use

Ukraine's President is pleading with the West for permission to use long-range missiles inside Russia's border as discussions continue amongst world leaders, amidst heavy bombing and drone attacks.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with US President Joe Biden on Friday to discuss permitting Kyiv to use long-range weapon systems in Russia, whilst Vladimir Putin has said the West would be directly engaging in the conflict if permission was given.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "We won't be bullied by Putin's shameless grandstanding."

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Mr Lammy said in a recent interview with Sky News: "This is a long-standing request of Zelensky. He's now been making it for well over a year.

"I understand why he makes that and, of course, it’s important for us to discuss the detail of that with our closest allies, and we continue to do that.

"But we head to UNGA and the UN General Assembly, where both Biden and the Prime Minister will meet Zelensky and as we head into the G7 foreign ministers (meeting) and the G20."

During recent talks with US officials, Ukraine's President Zelensky stated the priority was to obtain additional air defense systems, missiles for them and permission to use long-range weapons against Russian military targets.

Ukraine claims its air defences have destroyed 10 of 14 attack drones launched against their territory this weekend.

Reportedly, the southern region of Odesa has been targeted by two Russian Iskander M-ballistic missiles and one Kh-59 guided air missile.

According to the President, over the past week, Moscow launched 30 missiles, 800 guided aerial bombs and almost 300 attack drones against Ukraine.

During the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Military Committee in Prague, Nato’s highest military authority, Admiral Rob Bauer reportedly said that the law on armed conflict gives Ukraine the right to defend itself and that did not stop at its border.

Mr Bauer said: "In military terms, you do (those attacks) because you want to weaken the enemy that attacks you in order to not only fight the arrows that come your way but also attack the archer.              

"So, militarily, there is a good reason to do that; to weaken the enemy, to weaken its logistics lines, fuel, ammunition that comes to the front."