How do Pentagon-imposed restrictions on Ukrainian use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles like ATACMS inside Russian territory create sanctuary zones that give Russian forces strategic advantages?

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Since late spring 2025, the Pentagon has required Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to approve each Ukrainian request to use U.S.-made ATACMS missiles against targets inside Russia, effectively barring strikes on rear-area staging grounds in Belgorod and Kursk oblasts (). Institute for the Study of War analysis shows this restriction has carved out a roughly 1,750 km² sanctuary where Russia assembles tens of thousands of troops, stores ammunition and fuel, and positions command posts without fear of Ukrainian precision fires, allowing uninterrupted massing and logistical support for cross-border attacks on Kharkiv, Kupiansk, and other frontline cities (). That safe zone shifts the balance by protecting Russian infrastructure, prolonging bombardment of Ukrainian civilian areas, and undercutting Kyiv’s ability to disrupt Moscow’s war effort.

How do Pentagon-imposed restrictions on Ukrainian use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles like ATACMS inside Russian territory create sanctuary zones that give Russian forces strategic advantages?

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