Ukraine ups the ante with British missiles on Russian soil
For the first time, Ukrainian armed forces have launched British cruise missiles towards military targets in Russia, reports Bloomberg, citing Western officials.
As Bloomberg reminds us, the attacks using Storm Shadow missiles were approved in response to Russia sending North Korean troops into the war against Ukraine. According to the agency's source, the UK government considered this move an escalation of the conflict.
Attacked Kursk region in Russia
As reported by Russian propaganda channels, Kyiv allegedly launched about 12 Storm Shadow missiles into the Kursk region in Russia.
The recordings published by Ukrainian media show a series of powerful explosions. The attack was reportedly carried out on Wednesday after 8 AM Eastern Time, and the target was the village of Mar'ino in the Kursk region.
Did Biden give Ukraine the green light?
According to unofficial information, President Joe Biden's administration has given Ukraine the green light to use American weapons to strike targets deep within Russia. On Tuesday, Ukraine and Russia reported that Kyiv used American ATACMS missiles to hit a Russian ammunition depot in the Bryansk region, about 128 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.
The Kremlin has long threatened that if the West allows Ukraine to use missiles provided by the USA, the United Kingdom, and France to attack targets deep within Russia, it will consider that these NATO member states are directly engaging in the war.
On Tuesday, Vladimir Putin approved an amendment to Russia's nuclear doctrine, which stipulates that the basis for Moscow's use of nuclear weapons would be a "critical threat" to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Belarus and Russia or the provision of "territory and resources" for aggression against Russia.