Ukraine has struck Russian territory with US long-range missiles for the first time.
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Russia said on Tuesday that Ukraine had attacked its territory at night with American long-range missiles, a first in 1000 days of Russian invasion, while Moscow once again raised the specter of resorting to nuclear weapons in the case of such attacks.
This assertion comes a few days after the green light from Washington to kyiv to strike Russian soil with these ATACMS missiles, which Moscow had presented as a red line.
“At 3:25 a.m., the enemy struck a site in the Bryansk region,” not far from the Ukrainian border, with “ATACMS tactical missiles,” according to the Russian Defense Ministry, which specifies that military installations were targeted and that assures that five missiles were destroyed and another damaged by Russian anti-aircraft defense.
Questioned by AFP, the Ukrainian authorities have not yet reacted.
Ukraine has been demanding for many months to be able to strike “in depth” at military targets in Russian territory to disrupt the logistics of the Russian army which bombards its infrastructure and cities daily, causing the deaths of numerous civilians.
Vladimir Putin, for his part, reacted on Tuesday by signing the decree formalizing his new nuclear doctrine which broadens the possibility of using atomic weapons in the event of a “massive” air assault by a non-nuclear country, but supported by a nuclear power. Clear references to Ukraine and the United States.
“It was necessary to adapt our foundations (of the nuclear doctrine) to the current situation,” coldly noted Dmitri Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson.
In September, Vladimir Putin, who is demanding the surrender of Ukraine, warned that if this country struck Russian territory with longer-range Western missiles, it would mean that “NATO countries are at war with Russia “.
After 1000 days of a conflict which left tens or even hundreds of thousands of dead in total, kyiv does not intend to give in even if the Russian military is now supported by thousands of North Korean soldiers and despite the uncertainty over the sustainability of American support with the upcoming return of Donald Trump to the White House.
Facing the Ukrainian Parliament, Volodymyr Zelensky estimated that the outcome would be decided in 2025.
“In the decisive moments, which will arrive next year, we must not allow anyone in the world to doubt the resilience of our entire state. And this stage will determine who wins,” he said.
“Ukraine can defeat Russia,” even if “it is very difficult,” he stressed.
But Mr. Zelensky acknowledged that Ukraine may have to wait until after Putin to “restore” its territorial integrity, with Russians occupying nearly 20% of its area.
This is the first time that he has admitted that his country will “perhaps” have to accept, for a time, the loss of areas occupied by Russia.
Earlier, Ukrainian diplomacy had affirmed that Ukraine would “never” submit to Russia, while the Kremlin repeated that it would win on the front.
“The military operation will continue” until “the set objectives are achieved,” insisted Dmitri Peskov, at a time when the Russian army is advancing on several sectors of the front, notably near Kourakhové (east), where it has claimed Tuesday the conquest of a new village.
In addition, Russia is increasing its missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, killing many civilians and regularly plunging the population into darkness and cold.
A Russian strike caused the death of ten people during the night from Monday to Tuesday, including a child, in the Sumy region (north-east), according to a latest report.
At the same time, the return of Donald Trump makes Ukraine and Europeans fear that he will force kyiv into concessions, offering a military and geopolitical victory to Vladimir Putin.
Poland and other European states have therefore said they want to ensure European defense and that of Ukraine in the event of an American withdrawal.
“The main EU countries are ready to assume the burden of military and financial support for Ukraine in the context of a possible reduction in the United States’ commitment,” said the head of Polish diplomacy Radoslaw Sikorski, after a meeting in Warsaw with his French, German, Italian, Spanish and British counterparts.
However, they will have to find lasting common ground, as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Vladimir Putin a few days ago for the first time in two years, provoking the anger of Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president said he wants the war to end in 2025 by “diplomatic means”, but considers that kyiv needs more military means to inflict defeats on the Kremlin and approach negotiations from a position of strength.
Mr. Putin must not “achieve his ends,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte insisted on Tuesday.
