The war in Ukraine has reached a critical escalation, with Ukraine reportedly using Western-supplied missiles to strike a target inside Russian territory—a move that could provoke nuclear retaliation from Moscow.
The first known strike targeted Russia’s Bryansk region, coinciding with President Vladimir Putin’s recent update to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which significantly broadens the scenarios under which Moscow might deploy nuclear weapons.
Ukrainian forces launched six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles at a military facility in the Bryansk region, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
The attack reportedly struck a warehouse in the city of Karachev, approximately 71 miles from the Ukrainian border, detonating ammunition stored at the site.
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the strike but withheld details on the weapons used, citing the classified nature of the information.
Bloomberg highlighted that this was the first known Ukrainian strike using ATACMS missiles since the Biden administration approved Kyiv’s limited use of these weapons to target locations inside Russia.
The deployment underscores Ukraine’s ability to strike deeper into Russian territory, escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict.
Russia’s Updated Nuclear Doctrine
President Putin’s revised nuclear policy allows for the use of nuclear weapons in response to significant conventional attacks, including drone strikes,