Ukraine has fired US-made ATACMS missiles into Russia for the first time, hitting a Russian weapons arsenal. According to US officials, this is a major escalation on the one thousandth day of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The attack took place two days after President Biden authorized Ukraine to use US-made weapons against targets within Russian territory.
Russian officials have confirmed that the strikes involving US-made missiles by Ukraine took place in Russia’s Bryansk region, which is just north of Ukraine. Zelenskyy wasted virtually no time in using the new strike powers granted to Ukraine by the Biden administration.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not confirm the attack
During a press conference on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy failed to confirm the attack.
Instead, Zelenskyy said, “Ukraine has long-range capabilities. Ukraine has long-range drones of its own production. We now have a long Neptune (Ukranian missiles) and not just one. And now we have ATACMS. And we will use all of this.”
I am deeply grateful to all our partners who support us with air defense systems and missiles. This is a truly global effort. Every time Russia carries out such attacks, it underscores how critical it is that partners don’t leave systems like Patriot and others sitting idle in… pic.twitter.com/4VZu4JpzxG
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 17, 2024
The attack, however, has been confirmed by multiple sources. Ukraine indeed fired six ballistic missiles at the facility on Russian soil.
Russian sources said they successfully shot down five out of the six American-made missiles, and the last one was damaged. They also claim that the debris from the damaged missile caused a fire in the facility, but there was no further damage or casualties.
Decision to authorize Ukraine to use US-made missiles comes at a crucial time in the war
At the moment, Russia’s strategy in Ukraine aims to disable Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
Russia’s efforts have also intensified in the Kursk region, where North Korean troops are helping carry out a counter-offensive against Ukranians. US State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller, made comments on the matter, saying it is “a major escalation by Russia, bringing in an Asian military to a conflict inside Europe.”
Still, Russia has long sustained that using Western, and in this case, US-made ballistic missiles would be considered a major escalation of the conflict.
This attack has therefore prompted President Vladimir Putin to update Russia’s nuclear doctrine. The updated doctrine dictates that Moscow will consider an attack from a non-nuclear state with the assistance of a nuclear state, a joint attack on Russia.
Putin is known for using the “nuclear card”
Throughout Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Putin has consistently threatened Ukraine and the world with using Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
For instance, earlier this year, Putin ordered a tactical nuclear weapons drill after French President Emmanuel Macron said he wouldn’t rule out sending European troops to Ukraine.
Still, President Zelenskyy says using these American-made long-range missiles is a key part of his victory plan for Ukraine, which he presented to allied leaders and the Ukrainian Congress.
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