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, on Russian soil.
The doctrine now explicitly states that an attack by a non-nuclear nation, if supported by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint assault.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russia views attacks by Ukraine using Western-supplied missiles as acts of aggression from a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear power.
According to Peskov, this could potentially justify a nuclear response if such actions threaten Russia’s sovereignty or territorial integrity.
Putin has repeatedly warned the United States and European allies against enabling Ukraine to strike targets deep within Russia, cautioning that such actions could bring them into direct conflict with Moscow.
Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, issued a stark warning on social media, stating that NATO-backed missile strikes against Russia could be perceived as an attack by the alliance, potentially triggering a nuclear response.
Russia’s new nuclear doctrine means NATO missiles fired against our country could be deemed an attack by the bloc on Russia. Russia could retaliate with WMD against Kiev and key NATO facilities, wherever they’re located. That means World War III.
— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) November 19, 2024
The Attack and Its Aftermath
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the six ATACMS missiles were intercepted by S-400 and Pantsir air defense systems, with five successfully destroyed. However, fragments from one missile fell within a military facility, causing a fire.
⚡️ Russia’s Defence Ministry:
At 3.25 am Ukrainian forces fired 6 US-produced ATACMS missiles at Russia’s Bryansk region.
Five missiles were shot down by S-400 & Pantsir AA systems, one was damaged, its fragments fell in the technical zone of a military facility, causing a fire pic.twitter.com/Pew8n5wbvT
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) November 19, 2024
This escalation comes as Ukraine has already employed domestically-produced drones to target Russian sites in recent months. However, access to U.S.-made long-range missiles significantly enhances its ability to strike critical Russian infrastructure.
The international community is watching with alarm as the conflict teeters on the edge of broader confrontation. Calls for peace are growing louder amid fears of a potential slide toward World War III.