Ukraine launched US-made ATACMS missiles across the border, targeting a Russian weapons arsenal in Bryansk, marking a significant escalation on the 1,000th day of war. The strike, confirmed by US officials, is Ukraine’s first use of these longer-range missiles inside Russia.
The attack followed President Biden’s recent authorization for Ukraine to deploy these weapons beyond its borders. Kyiv wasted no time, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky neither confirming nor denying the strike but affirming the country’s advanced long-range capabilities, including drones and Neptune cruise missiles.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported firing six ATACMS missiles, claiming five were intercepted and one damaged, causing a fire without casualties. Concurrently, President Putin updated Russia’s nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for nuclear weapon use against non-nuclear states aligned with nuclear-armed allies, heightening tensions further.
This development came as North Korean troops reportedly deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, and missile and drone strikes intensified across Ukraine. US officials dismissed Russia’s nuclear rhetoric as “irresponsible,” while allies like Germany remained cautious, withholding certain missile systems to avoid escalating the conflict.
Zelensky emphasized long-range weapons as critical to Ukraine’s Victory Plan, stating: “Missiles will speak for themselves.
