Russia – Ukraine: Kiev launches US long-range missiles against Russian territory for the first time

The Moscow government accused Ukraine of firing long-range missiles supplied by the United States at targets on its territory for the first time since the war began.

These will be ATACMS missiles (Army Tactical Missile System) which a few days ago the Joe Biden government gave Ukraine permission to use against Russian territory.

Until this authorization, Kiev could use them only against Russian positions on Ukrainian territory.

“At 03:25 (00:25 GMT) the enemy attacked the Bryansk area with six ballistic missiles. According to confirmed data, American-made ATACMS tactical missiles were used,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Five missiles were shot down and another was damaged.And its fragments caused a fire at a military installation in the area, the statement said.

“There were no casualties or damage,” the statement said.

US officials confirmed to BBC partner CBS that ATACMS missiles provided by that country were launched against targets in Russian territory.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference at the G20 in Rio de Janeiro after the attack: “This is, of course, a signal (from the West) that they want to escalate (the conflict).”

He added, “And without the Americans, the use of these high-tech missiles – as Putin has said many times – is impossible.”

Lavrov said Russia would proceed “with the understanding” that the missiles were operated by “US military experts”.

Moscow had already warned that such an attack would make America a direct participant in the conflict. In Lavrov’s words: “We will take this as a new phase of the West’s war against Russia and we will respond accordingly,

For its part, the Ukrainian military confirmed an attack on an ammunition depot in the Russian region of Bryansk, but without specifying whether ATACMS missiles were used.

According to their information, the attack on a warehouse about 100 kilometers from the border near the city of Karachev caused 12 secondary explosions.

Shortly before the attack, this Tuesday morning, the Russian President Vladimir Putin approved changes to the country’s nuclear doctrineEstablishing new conditions under which the country will consider the use of its arsenal.

It is now stipulated that an attack by a non-nuclear state, if supported by a nuclear power, will be considered a joint attack against Russia.

The US has not yet officially commented on the possible use of ATACMS on Russian territory, but it has made a statement on the change in nuclear doctrine.

“As we said earlier this month, we were not surprised by Russia’s announcement that it will update its nuclear doctrine,” the White House National Security Council said in a statement.

This new intensity of conflict comes when 1,000 days have passed since the war between Russia and Ukraine started,

In this context, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry published a statement on Tuesday in which it urged its allies to increase military support and said: “We need peace through force, not appeasement.”

,Ukraine will never surrender to the occupiers And the Russian military will be punished for violating international law,” it was assured.

At the G20, Lavrov also said after the attack in Bryansk: “The President (Putin) has mentioned this several times: if long-range missiles are going to be deployed from Ukraine to Russian territory (…), then its This also means that they will be operated by US military experts.

He added, “I hope they will read the (new nuclear) doctrine thoroughly.”

On Monday, Moscow had already said that there would be an attack if attacked with these American weapons. “Appropriate and concrete response”,

Kiev had been using ATACMS missiles against Russian targets in occupied Ukraine for more than a year.

However, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, it was not possible to use such weapons inside Russia. As if he was forced to fight with one hand tied behind his back,

The US has reportedly changed its stance in response to the recent arrival of North Korean troops in support of Russia in the Kursk border area, which Ukraine has occupied since August.

ATACMS missiles can hit targets up to 300 kilometers away and are difficult to intercept.

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