The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that at 3:25 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Ukraine launched up to six ballistic missiles targeting a facility in Bryansk.
As the Russia-Ukraine war entered its 1,000th day on Tuesday, Moscow said that Kyiv fired US-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles into its Bryansk region.
The attack comes just two days after reports suggested that the Biden administration had authorized Ukraine to use American weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory.
Kyiv quickly took advantage of this new capability, marking the first use of long-range U.S. missiles to target areas deep inside Russia.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, at 3:25 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Ukraine launched up to six ballistic missiles at a facility in Bryansk, with the missiles identified as U.S.-made ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System).
Russian air defenses intercepted five of the six missiles, while another missile was damaged. Fragments from the damaged missile fell on a military facility, igniting a fire that has since been extinguished. No casualties or significant damage were reported.
On Sunday, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly approved the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine to target deeper into Russian territory. The move aims to assist Kyiv in defending itself while also seeking to prevent further escalation of the ongoing conflict.
On Sunday, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly approved the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine to target deeper inside Russia. This decision aims to bolster Kyiv’s defense while also attempting to limit further escalation of the conflict.
The decision also comes amid reports of thousands of North Korean troops being deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, located along Ukraine’s northern border, to assist Moscow in regaining lost ground.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated in a press briefing on Monday that the involvement of North Korean troops in the Ukraine conflict “represents a major escalation by Russia, bringing an Asian military into a European conflict,” according to USATodayWorld News.
Washington’s decision to relax restrictions on Ukraine’s use of weapons has been in the works for some time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had repeatedly urged President Biden to authorize the use of American missiles for strikes deeper into Russian territory.
Shortly after reports of the missile attack on Bryansk emerged, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved changes to Moscow’s nuclear doctrine, sending a clear and forceful message to the United States and other Western powers.
The revised policy broadens the circumstances under which Russia could use nuclear weapons. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explained, “It was necessary to align our principles with the current situation.
Under the updated nuclear doctrine, Russia will treat any aggression from a non-nuclear state, particularly if backed by a nuclear power, as a coordinated attack on Moscow, and will respond in kind, according to Reuters.
The revised policy also authorizes the use of nuclear weapons in retaliation for any major conventional attack on Russia, including drone strikes.
It is important to note that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has long regarded the use of U.S.-made long-range missiles as a crucial element of his “victory plan.”
In response to reports of Biden’s approval, Zelenskyy remarked that strikes are not made through words, nor are they publicly announced. “Missiles will speak for themselves,” he said.
