Russia warns of response as Ukraine uses long-range US missiles for first time

Ukraine has fired long-range US missiles at Russian territory for the first time, prompting Russia to warn of a response. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described this as a new phase in the conflict, accusing Western nations of escalating tensions. In response, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons. This move has drawn condemnation from the US, UK, and EU, who labeled it irresponsible amid ongoing nuclear rhetoric from Russia. As the war enters its 1,000th day, both sides are ramping up military spending. Ukraine has allocated over $50 billion for defense, while Russia plans a nearly 30% increase in its defense budget for next year.