Ukraine Strikes Russia With US-Approved Missiles; Moscow Says 'New Phase' In War

Last Updated:November 19, 2024, 20:10 IST

Ukraine had been urging Washington for months to allow it to use the longer-range ATACMS missiles to strike targets on Russian territory

Visuals of ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) projectile being launched. (Image: AFP file)

Russia on Tuesday said that Ukraine fired US-supplied long-range missiles at a military facility in the Bryansk border region, making the first such attack since Washington authorised such strikes.

Moscow has warned that the use of Western weapons to target Russian territory would make the United States a direct participant in the conflict and vowed an “appropriate and palpable response."

“At 03:25 am (0025 GMT), the enemy struck a site in the Bryansk region with six ballistic missiles. According to confirmed data, US-made ATACMS tactical missiles were used," Russian state news agencies quoted the defence ministry in a statement.

The Russian defence ministry also stated that five of the missiles were intercepted by its air defences, while fragments from a sixth missile fell on an unspecified military facility, causing a small fire. The ministry confirmed there were no casualties or damage.

The attack comes just one day after the Biden administration gave Ukraine the green light to use US-made weapons for deeper strikes into Russian territory. Ukraine had been pressing Washington for months to allow it to use the longer-range ATACMS missiles.

Biden approved the use of long-range US missiles just two months before leaving office. His successor, President-elect Donald Trump, is seen as less supportive of Kyiv.

In response to the decision, Ukraine’s foreign minister had described the move as a potential “game changer" in the ongoing conflict, while Moscow accused Biden of further escalating tensions.

(With inputs from agencies)

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News world Ukraine Strikes Russia With US-Approved Missiles; Moscow Says 'New Phase' In War