Ukraine strikes back: British missiles target Russia
For the first time, Ukrainian armed forces have launched British cruise missiles towards military targets in Russia, reports Bloomberg, citing Western officials.
As Bloomberg notes, the attacks using Storm Shadow missiles were approved in response to Russia sending North Korean troops to the conflict in Ukraine. According to sources within the agency, the UK government considered this move an escalation of the conflict.
The Kursk region in Russia was attacked
According to Russian propaganda channels, Kyiv allegedly launched approximately 12 Storm Shadow missiles into the Kursk region in Russia.
Recordings published by Ukrainian media capture a series of powerful explosions. The attack is reported to have occurred on Wednesday after 1 PM Greenwich Time, targeting the village of Mar'ino in the Kursk region.
Did Biden give Ukraine the green light?
According to unofficial reports, the administration of US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine the green light to use American weapons to hit targets deep inside Russia. On Tuesday, Ukraine and Russia reported that Kyiv used American ATACMS missiles to strike a Russian ammunition depot in the Bryansk region, about 130 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 UK, and France to attack targets deep inside Russia, it will consider these NATO member states as directly engaging in the war.
On Tuesday, Vladimir Putin approved an amendment to the Russian nuclear doctrine, which stipulates that Moscow's use of nuclear weapons would be justified by a "critical threat" to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Belarus and Russia or the providing of "territory and resources" for aggression against Russia.
