Russia threatens retaliation after Ukraine strikes with US long-range missiles
Russia has threatened retaliation after Ukraine used US-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles to strike its territory for the first time. This escalation coincides with President Putin's new decree lowering the threshold for nuclear weapon use, which has drawn condemnation from Western nations. Ukrainian officials confirmed the missile strike on a facility in Russia's Bryansk region. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that this attack marks a new phase in the conflict, accusing Western countries of escalating tensions. In response, the US has authorized Ukraine to use these missiles against military targets in Russia. The US will also provide antipersonnel land mines to Ukraine, with conditions to minimize civilian risk.