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For the first time, Ukraine has deployed US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles to strike inside Russian territory.

Let’s bring you up to speed: Over the weekend, President Biden authorized Ukraine to use US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike military targets within Russian territory, marking a significant shift in American policy. These missiles, capable of reaching up to 190 miles, will allow Ukraine to target critical Russian infrastructure, including airfields, missile launch sites, and military installations within Russia, significantly extending its operational reach. The decision comes after years of lobbying by Ukrainian officials who argued that these weapons are essential to counter Russia’s aggressive missile and drone attacks, particularly those aimed at crippling Ukraine’s energy grid ahead of winter.  

What’s going on now: According to Ukrainian and Russian officials, Ukraine launched an early morning strike at approximately 3:25 AM, targeting an ammunition depot in Russia’s Bryansk region. Ukraine used six US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles, marking the first known instance of these advanced weapons being deployed inside Russian territory. Ukrainian officials stated that the depot housed artillery ammunition, including supplies from North Korea.

At the same time, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that five of the missiles were intercepted, and the sixth caused minor damage when fragments fell on a military facility. Russia reported no casualties but said the attack triggered a fire that was eventually put out.

Russia responds: The Kremlin condemned the strike, accusing Ukraine of escalating the war to a dangerous new level with Western support. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov also criticized the Biden administration’s decision to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons, describing it as a move that “escalates tensions to a qualitatively new level.” On the same day, President Vladimir Putin updated Russia’s nuclear doctrine to classify aggression by a non-nuclear state, supported by a nuclear power, as a joint attack on Russia—clearly signaling a warning to the United States and its allies.