Kyiv: Ukraine launched its first-ever attack on Russian territory using U.S.-provided ATACMS missiles, according to Moscow, marking a significant escalation on the war’s 1,000th day. Russia reported that its forces intercepted five of the six missiles targeting a military facility in the Bryansk region, with one causing minor damage but no casualties.
Ukraine, while not disclosing the weapon used, confirmed striking an arms depot approximately 70 miles inside Russian territory, resulting in secondary explosions. The attack followed U.S. President Joe Biden's recent approval for Ukraine to use the medium-range missiles for such operations—a move Russia has condemned as a direct provocation, warning of potential retaliation against the U.S.
The strike occurred amidst commemorations for 1,000 days of war, as Ukraine continues to endure relentless conflict marked by airstrikes, a grinding stalemate on the battlefield, and uncertainty over future Western support.
Military analysts suggest the missiles might bolster Ukraine’s efforts to defend its hold on a small pocket of Russian territory but are unlikely to shift the broader trajectory of the war. Meanwhile, attention is turning to U.S. domestic politics, with former President Donald Trump—who has criticized U.S. military aid to Ukraine—poised to return to the White House, raising questions about the West’s unified stance against Russia.
Addressing parliament, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the critical importance of the coming year. "At this stage of the war, it is being decided who will prevail—us over the enemy, or the enemy over us Ukrainians and all who value freedom," he declared.
The war’s toll has been devastating: thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died, over six million people remain refugees, and the population has shrunk by a quarter. Both sides have suffered catastrophic military losses, with casualty estimates in the hundreds of thousands, though precise numbers remain classified.
Ukraine’s military continues to hold firm against Russian advances, particularly in the heavily contested Donetsk and Kherson regions, but the conflict has devolved into a grueling war of attrition. Russian forces occupy about a fifth of Ukraine and continue to gain ground slowly, despite fierce resistance.
On the global stage, tensions are escalating. Russia, now bolstered by Iranian drones and North Korean munitions, has reportedly deployed 11,000 North Korean troops, with potential plans for more reinforcements. Meanwhile, Ukraine braces for a harsh winter as Moscow intensifies its assaults on critical infrastructure, targeting the nation’s power grid in its largest aerial offensive since August.
Amid these developments, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a revised nuclear doctrine lowering the threshold for deploying nuclear weapons, signaling a broader deterrence strategy to counter perceived threats to Russia’s territorial integrity. The Kremlin also reiterated its opposition to NATO’s involvement, demanding Ukraine abandon its aspirations to join the alliance and cede territory Russia claims to have annexed.
Western allies, meanwhile, are preparing for a potential shift in strategy, with European nations signaling readiness to assume greater responsibility for regional defense. In a joint statement, foreign ministers from key NATO and EU countries warned of Moscow’s intensifying hybrid threats, underscoring the evolving security challenges facing the West.
Despite calls for diplomacy, significant gaps remain between Kyiv’s demands for full Russian withdrawal and Moscow’s insistence on territorial concessions. As both sides maneuver for leverage, the war shows no signs of abating, with each escalation bringing new uncertainties to the conflict’s outcome.