Ukraine fires first US-made missile into Russia: WW3 fears as Kremlin threatens 'nuclear response' if long-range Western weapons are used on its territory

Ukraine fires first US-made missile into Russia: WW3 fears as Kremlin threatens 'nuclear response' if long-range Western weapons are used on its territory

DAVID AVERRE and ELENA SALVONI and WILL STEWART

Ukraine has carried out its first strike on Russian territory with US-supplied long-range missiles just days after the Biden administration gave Kyiv the green light despite fears it could escalate the conflict beyond control. 

A fiery explosion at an ammunition depot in Karachev around 75 miles from the Ukrainian border in Russia's Bryansk region lit up the night sky early this morning on what is the 1,000th day of war in Ukraine.

Eyewitnesses along with Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers first reported the attack, with anonymous Ukrainian military officials later telling RBC Ukraine the strike was conducted with the US-manufactured ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System).

The reports emerged within minutes of the Kremlin threatening a 'nuclear response' should Ukraine hit targets on Russian soil with Western-supplied long-range munitions.

'The Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against it with the use of conventional weapons,' Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Russia this morning.

His statement followed Vladimir Putin's approval of an updated nuclear doctrine that allows his strategic forces to deploy nuclear weapons if Russian or Belarusian territory is threatened by a non-nuclear nation supported by a nuclear power.

Threats that could make Russia's leadership consider a nuclear strike include an attack with conventional missiles, drones or other aircraft, according to the updated document. 

A Ukrainian strike on Russian territory with US-supplied missiles meets these criteria, raising fears that Moscow may now consider a dramatic escalation in the conflict. 

But Ukraine's foreign ministry issued a defiant statement in spite of the Kremlin's nuclear sabre-rattling, declaring that 'Ukraine will never submit to the occupiers and the Russian military will be punished for violating international law'.

'We need peace through strength, not appeasement,' the ministry added, as Volodymyr Zelensky called on Kyiv's allies to 'force' Moscow into a 'just peace' and vowed his troops would 'never surrender'.

Zelensky called on Kyiv's allies to 'force' the Kremlin into a 'just peace' and vowed his forces would 'never surrender' to Russia in a speech to Parliament this morning

Putin, who today signed the decree formalising Russia's updated nuclear doctrine, first announced changes to the document in September. 

At the time, the Russian President said he would consider Western nations 'direct participants' in the war in Ukraine if they were to provide Kyiv with the ability to strike targets inside Russia.

He also suggested he may provide Russian missiles to Western adversaries to strike Western targets abroad as a course of retaliation. 

Now, as fears grow over the potential fallout of Western missiles striking targets in Russia, Zelensky is insisting that 2025 will prove a 'decisive year' in determining who wins the war. 

'In the decisive moments - and they are coming next year - we must not allow anyone in the world to doubt the resilience of our entire state,' the Ukrainian president told Parliament in a rousing address today.

'At this stage, it is being decided who will prevail.'

Zelensky said last month he believed the war could be ended in 2025, provided that Western nations provide Ukraine with enough military and diplomatic support as part of his 'peace plan'.