Last week, Russia launched one of its deadliest attacks on Ukraine yet, firing missiles on non-military areas across Ukraine. Dozens were killed as Russia launched its bombardments on Ukrainian civilians in Poltava and Lviv.

The events sparked a renewed push by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government to allow for the lifting of restrictions on Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. The Ukrainian president and his officials called on Western officials to “allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to hit targets inside Russia.”

Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Ukrainians have been forced into a series of self-imposed restrictions as a condition of Western aid. Initially, Western officials were reluctant to provide the Ukrainians with defense capabilities that would allow them to fight against the Russian incursion. Many believed that supplying Ukraine with advanced weaponry would escalate Russia’s war and cause further devastation.

But as the last two and a half years have shown, the Russian Federation has been constantly and successfully called on its bluff.

When the full-scale invasion began, Russia warned that there would be severe consequences if Ukraine resisted. Despite this threat, the Ukrainians gathered their forces and repelled the Russian attack.

In 2022, the Ukrainians successfully defended their capital and........

© The Hill