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On Monday, the United States reportedly signaled its approval for Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles to target Russian territory |
Russia claims that Ukraine has fired U.S.-supplied long-range missiles into its territory, just a day after receiving approval from Washington for such strikes. According to Moscow's Ministry of Defense, Ukraine used Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to target the Bryansk region early this morning.
The Russian ministry reported that five of the missiles were intercepted, while one was damaged. Fragments from the damaged missile reportedly caused a fire at a military facility in the area, though no casualties were reported, and the fire was quickly extinguished.
This attack marks the first confirmed use of ATACMS on Russia's internationally recognized territory. It comes shortly after the U.S. granted Ukraine permission to use these missiles against Russian targets. Moscow had previously warned that such actions would prompt a “tangible response.”
Ukraine has already employed ATACMS in Russian-occupied parts of its own territory for over a year. These missiles have a range of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) and are difficult to intercept, giving Ukraine the ability to strike targets deep within Russia.
Kyiv can now potentially target areas such as the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces control over 1,000 square kilometers of territory. Reports suggest Ukrainian and U.S. officials anticipate a counteroffensive in this area.
In its statement, the Russian Defense Ministry noted that the missile strike occurred at 03:25 local time (00:25 GMT). The debris from one of the missiles caused a fire, which was quickly contained, and there were no reported injuries.
Earlier, Ukraine confirmed hitting an ammunition depot in the Bryansk region but did not specify whether ATACMS were used. The attack, near the town of Karachev, approximately 100 kilometers from the border, reportedly triggered 12 secondary explosions.
Meanwhile, on the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved updates to the country’s nuclear doctrine. The revised policy outlines that an attack by a non-nuclear state, if supported by a nuclear power, would be treated as a joint assault on Russia, potentially escalating the situation further.
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