Does Germany have a strict definition of what a military target is as it allows Western-supplied weapons to strike military targets in Russia?

Question

German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck has said he regrets that the government led by Olaf Scholz did not allow Ukraine to deploy Western-supplied weapons to strike military targets in Russia sooner.

Source: Robert Habeck in an interview with Augsburger Allgemeine, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Habeck said that Ukraine should be allowed to do what it needs to prevent Russian attacks and protect the lives of civilians.

A ban on striking military targets in Russia means that more people might die, he explained.

"The permission currently covers a strictly localised area around Kharkiv. For self-defence, for protection. But it’s true that the decision we made could’ve been made earlier," Habeck said.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/06/4/7459168/

Does Germany have a strict definition of what a military target is as it allows Western-supplied weapons to strike military targets in Russia? Germany decided to allow Ukraine to strike targets in Russia using Western-supplied equipment, but I was wondering if there's a strict definition for what a military target is since certain utilities and infrastructure are dual-use.

Answer 1

The basis of the report and the discussions about weapons use is a press release of the speaker of the German government from last Friday:

Die Ukrainerinnen und Ukrainer kämpfen um ihr Land und ihre Freiheit. Sehr viele Länder der Welt unterstützen sie dabei, politisch, wirtschaftlich und mit militärischer Ausrüstung, mit Waffen.

Es geht um die Befreiung des ukrainischen Staatsgebiets, und wir haben mit der Ukraine vereinbart, dass die von uns gelieferten Waffen dazu völkerrechtskonform eingesetzt werden. Gemeinsam mit unseren engsten Verbündeten und im engen Dialog mit der ukrainischen Regierung passen wir unsere Unterstützung dabei kontinuierlich der Entwicklung des Kriegsgeschehens an.

In den letzten Wochen hat Russland insbesondere im Raum Charkiw von Stellungen aus dem unmittelbar angrenzenden russischen Grenzgebiet heraus Angriffe vorbereitet, koordiniert und ausgeführt.

Gemeinsam sind wir der Überzeugung, dass die Ukraine das völkerrechtlich verbriefte Recht hat, sich gegen diese Angriffe zu wehren.

Dazu kann sie auch die dafür gelieferten Waffen in Übereinstimmungen mit ihren internationalen rechtlichen Verpflichtungen einsetzen; auch die von uns gelieferten.

(Translated with DeepL.com)

Ukrainians are fighting for their country and their freedom. Many countries around the world are supporting them politically, economically and with military equipment and weapons.

It is about the liberation of Ukrainian territory, and we have agreed with Ukraine that the weapons we supply will be used in accordance with international law. Together with our closest allies and in close dialogue with the Ukrainian government, we are continuously adapting our support to the development of the war.

In recent weeks, Russia has prepared, coordinated and carried out attacks from positions in the Kharkiv area in particular from the directly neighbouring Russian border region.

Together, we are convinced that Ukraine has the right under international law to defend itself against these attacks.

It can also use the weapons supplied for this purpose in accordance with its international legal obligations, including those supplied by us.

No further details have been forthcoming.

The conditions connected with the use of German weapons against Russian territory thus seem to be:

• Defense against attacks from positions in Russia near the Kharkiv area
• Adherence to international legal obligations.

The last point is generally understood to refer to the right of self-defence in Article 51 of the charter of the UN.