Leadershavehadtotoe a lineofsupportingUkrainewhileavoidingbeingsweptinto a warwithRussia.
Allieslikethe U.S. haverepeatedlydeniedallowingUkrainetouselong-rangemissilestohittargetsdeepinsideRussia.
AndallieshavebeenreluctanttoinviteUkrainetojointheNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganizationwhiletheconflictcontinues, whichwouldleadtofullNATOmembership, whichisfoundedon a principleofcollectivedefense.
WithoutadditionaltangiblesupportcomingfromEuropeanor U.S. allies, Ukrainiansareusingtheirresourcesprudently.
Theirtarget, a Russianammodepot, theUkrainianssayisstoringmissilessuppliedtoMoscowbyIran, eventhoughTehranvehementlydeniesgivingRussiaballisticmissiles.
Rightnow, we'regoingto a placewherethey'regoingtodothedetailedplanningfortheactualdrones.
Theweaponsdepotisabout 400 milesfromtheUkrainianborderinthesouthwesternRussianvillageofKotluban, a majorproblem, a meshofpowerfulRussianairdefensesguardingthearea.
TheUkrainianssaytheygetgoodresultswiththeLutydrones, butwhattheyreallyneedispermissionfromthe U.S. anditsalliestouseWestern-supplied, longer-distanceweapons.
Sofar, the U.S. isnotallowingUkrainetofireAmerican-suppliedweaponsdeepintoRussia, asRussiahasescalateditsownaerialattacksagainstUkrainiancitiesandinfrastructureusingheavyguided-glidebombs, cruisemissilesdesignedtotakeoutwholeaircraftcarrierstrikegroups, andnuclear-capablestrategicbombers.
AlltheUkrainianshavearetheirlittledrones, launchingtheminswarmstoevenhave a chancetopenetrateRussia's airdefenses.
WhiletheRussiansclaimtohaveshotdownthedrones, a videopostedonsocialmediashowswhatappeartobethosedronesimpacting, andmajorexplosionsintheareaofthearmsdepot.