“We are not working to prevent Ukraine from developing its own capabilities,” Austin said late Tuesday, according to CNN.
The US, however, has not encouraged such attacks, underlined US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday.
“We have neither encouraged nor made it possible for the Ukrainians to attack Russia,” said Blinken.
Blinken also underscored that the United States is committed to ensuring that Ukraine has the equipment it needs to defend itself.
Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the alleged attacks on air bases inside Russia, nearly 50 miles from the Ukrainian border. But several observers, and Russia, believe that Kyiv is behind them.