Ukraine fires US-made long range missiles into Russia for the first time

Ukraine has fired US-made ATACMS missiles into the Bryansk region, Russia said, in a major escalation on the 1,000th day of war.

Five missiles were shot down and one damaged, with its fragments causing a fire at a military facility in the region, the ministry of defence in Moscow said.

The strike represents the first time the long-range missiles have been used on Russia's internationally-recognised territory after Washington signalled Ukraine had permission to do so.

Russia has vowed to "react accordingly”.

The retaliation comes on the 1,000th day of war between the two countries. Russia is on the frontlines in easter Ukraine hammering its cities with missile and drone strikes, aiming to disable Ukraine’s power grid and weaponise the freezing temperatures for a third consecutive winter.

Kyiv is now able to strike deeper into Russia using the missiles, including around the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces hold over 1,000 sq km of territory. Ukrainian and US officials reportedly expect a counter-offensive in the region.

Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday, Putin approved changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, setting out new conditions under which the country would consider using its arsenal.

It now says an attack from a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint assault on Russia.