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Saturday November 23, 2024
(LONDON) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that it defeated a Ukrainian ATACMS attack in the western Bryansk region, shortly before the Kremlin updated its nuclear weapons doctrine to allow for nuclear strikes in response to foreign ballistic missile attacks.
Two U.S. officials also confirmed to ABC News that Ukraine had for the first time fired ATACMS at targets in Russia.
Ukrainian forces fired six "ballistic missiles," the Russian Defense Ministry wrote on its official Telegram page, five of which were downed and the sixth damaged. "According to confirmed data, American-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles were used," it wrote.
"ATACMS fragments fell on the technical territory of a military facility in the Bryansk region, a fire broke out, it was extinguished," the ministry added.
Bryansk borders Kursk to its west.
A U.S. official provided a differing account of the strike, saying Russia intercepted two of eight total ATACMS missiles launched by Ukraine. The other six were assessed to have hit an ammunition storage site in Karachev, the official said.
The ministry alleged the attack shortly after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists that the changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine -- signed by President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday -- meant "the use of Western non-nuclear rockets by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against Russia can prompt a nuclear response."
One of the U.S. officials said they are not surprised by what they called "irresponsible rhetoric" from the Kremlin, but that the U.S. sees no indications Russia actually plans to use nuclear weapons.
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller told reporters Tuesday he was "unfortunately not surprised" by Russia's decision to alter its nuclear doctrine.
"Since the beginning of its war of aggression against Ukraine, it has sought to coerce and intimidate both Ukraine and other countries around the world through irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and behavior," Miller said. "Despite what Russia says, neither the United States nor NATO pose any threat to Russia."
Miller said the U.S. has "not seen any reason to adjust our own nuclear posture, but we will continue to call on Russia to stop bellicose and irresponsible rhetoric."
Peskov's remarks came after three U.S. officials confirmed to ABC News that President Joe Biden had approved Ukraine's use of the long-range American-made MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System -- colloquially known as the ATACMS -- to hit targets in Russia's western Kursk region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not confirm on Tuesday if Ukraine had used ATACMS to conduct a strike on an ammunition depot in the Bryansk region of Russia, but said Ukraine has ATACMS and "will use all of these" against Russia.
"Sorry, no unnecessary details," Zelenskyy said when asked about the possible use of ATACMS against Russia at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday.
"Ukraine has long-range capabilities, including domestically produced long-range drones. We now have the extended range 'Neptune,' and not just one. And now we have ATACMS, and we will use all of these," he continued.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday that the reported ATACMS attack is a signal that Western nations "want escalation."
"It is impossible to use these high-tech missiles without the Americans, as Putin has repeatedly said," Lavrov said during a press conference at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.
The extent of U.S. assistance to Ukraine in the battlefield operation of the ATACMS remains unclear. The platform uses an improved inertial guidance system combined with GPS to zero in on designated targets. Kyiv is entirely reliant on the U.S. for replacement missiles.
The Biden administration hasn't publicly confirmed the ATACMS policy change. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told journalists at a Monday briefing he would not confirm or deny approval for ATACMS use inside Russia, but said the U.S. response to Russian and North Korean military cooperation in the war "would be firm."
There are now some 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region intended for deployment to the battlefield, U.S. officials have said.
The changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine were unveiled several weeks ago but only signed by Putin on Tuesday, as officials in Moscow expressed anger at the U.S. decision to allow ATACMS use on Russian territory.
The doctrine now says Russia can launch a nuclear attack against a country assisting a non-nuclear country in aggression against Russia that critically threatens the country's state integrity.
Moscow has repeatedly threatened nuclear weapon use against Ukraine and its Western partners throughout its full-scale invasion of the country.
Western leaders including Biden have said that avoiding a direct clash between Russia and NATO is a top priority given the danger of nuclear war.
ABC News' Matt Seyler, Joe Simonetti, Tanya Stukalova, Oleksiy Pshemyskiy and Yulia Drozd contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(LONDON) -- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists that new changes to Russia's nuclear weapons doctrine signed by President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday mean "the use of Western non-nuclear rockets by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against Russia can prompt a nuclear response."
Peskov's remarks came shortly after three U.S. officials confirmed to ABC News that President Joe Biden had approved Ukraine's use of the long-range American-made MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System -- colloquially known as the ATACMS -- to hit targets in Russia's western Kursk region.
The administration hasn't publicly confirmed the policy change. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told journalists at a Monday briefing he would not confirm or deny approval for ATACMS use inside Russia, but said the U.S. response to Russian and North Korean military cooperation in the war "would be firm."
There are now some 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region intended for deployment to the battlefield, U.S. officials have said.
The changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine were unveiled several weeks ago but only signed by Putin on Tuesday, as officials in Moscow expressed anger at the U.S. decision to allow ATACMS use on Russian territory.
The doctrine now says Russia can launch a nuclear attack against a country assisting a non-nuclear country in aggression against Russia that critically threatens the country's state integrity.
Moscow has repeatedly threatened nuclear weapon use against Ukraine and its Western partners throughout its full-scale invasion of the country.
Western leaders including President Joe Biden have said that avoiding a direct clash between Russia and NATO is a top priority given the danger of nuclear war.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(LONDON) -- Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on Ukraine overnight into Sunday targeting power plants and energy infrastructure across the country.
The barrage was the largest attack on Ukraine since late August and the third largest so far this year. Missiles and drones targeted cities including the capital Kyiv, forcing people into basements, subway stations and other underground shelters.
Ukrainian authorities reported that at least five people were killed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram early Sunday that the "massive strike" targeted areas in "all regions of Ukraine."
Zelenskyy said around 120 missiles and 90 drones were fired into the country, with Ukrainian air defenses downing more than 140 targets.
Ukraine's air force said that at least eight Kinzhal hypersonic missiles -- among Moscow's most advanced weapons -- were among the projectiles used in the attack. So too were one Zircon hypersonic cruise missile and more than 100 Kalibr cruise missiles.
The air force said Ukrainian defenders downed 144 targets -- 102 missiles and 42 drones. The Russian aircraft involved in the assault included Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers, the air force said, as well as Su-34, Su-27 and MiG-31 jets.
"We are grateful to all our air defense," the president said, noting that American-made F-16 fighter jets were involved in the defense.
Strikes and explosions were reported in Kyiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro and in western Ukraine. The Black Sea port city of Odesa was reportedly left without power following the strikes.
Zelenskyy said a drone impact in the southern city of Mykolaiv killed two people and injured six others, including two children.
Poland's military, meanwhile, said the Russian missile barrage prompted it to scramble fighter jets to protect its skies.
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko confirmed in a post to social media that the strikes were targeting Ukraine's grid. The attack prompted authorities to impose emergency energy shutdowns in Kyiv and at least one other region.
Russia has targeted Ukraine's grid as winter looms. The country's centralized heating systems having been turned on in the past couple of weeks as temperatures drop below freezing. The strikes threaten to leave millions without power.
Moscow has launched missile and drone barrages against Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war in February 2022. Russia has generally expanded long-range strikes as winters approach hoping to collapse the Ukrainian energy grid.
This year appears no different, with recent months bringing an intensification of drone and missile attacks across the country as the change in U.S. administration prompts talk of renewed peace negotiations.
Zelenskyy told Radio Ukraine on Saturday that Kyiv expects Russia to "continue combined strikes" through the winter period. "We need to prepare for everything," he added.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the attack was Russian President Vladimir Putin's "true response" to recent conversations with world leaders -- an apparent jab at German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who spoke with Putin Friday for the first time in two years, against Ukraine's objections.
"Russia launched one of the largest air attacks: drones and missiles against peaceful cities, sleeping civilians, critical infrastructure," Sybiha said. "This is war criminal Putin's true response to all those who called and visited him recently. We need peace through strength, not appeasement."
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