Ukraine fires long-range weapons inside Russia, Putin changes nuke doctrine

File Photo of M57A1 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile fired over the cab of an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher on June 14, 2012 | Photo: U.S. Army

A thousand days since the beginning of the Russian special military operation, Ukraine launched long-range projectiles on Russian territory for the first time, after the U.S. released restrictions on the deployment of its weapons by Ukraine against Russia. Ukraine has been permitted to strike targets up to 300 kilometres inside Russian territory.

The six strikes by Ukraine were of the U.S.-supplied ATACMS systems on Russia’s Bryansk region. Russia confirmed the attack on a military site and said its forces shot down five of the projectiles with the sixth damaged by Russian air defence systems. Russia said there were no casualties or damage.

The U.S. permission was reported to come shortly after Russia launched one its largest wave of projectile strikes on Ukraine and is reported to be in response to the deployment of North Korean troops against Ukraine, in Russia’s Kursk region, which Ukrainian troops invaded in August.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into decree his country’s revised nuclear doctrine, which has enlarged the conditions under which adversaries would be subject to nuclear deterrence. The updated nuclear doctrine has revised the list of potential military threats against which deterrence could be considered. And an attack by a non-nuclear state on Russia with the involvement or support of a nuclear-armed state would be considered a joint attack on Russia, under the changed doctrine. The Russian government had decided to revise its nuclear doctrine in September.

While neither the United Kingdom nor France have said they will allow Ukraine to use long-range Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles inside Russian territory, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reiterated his opposition to the supply of the Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine. German news agency, dpa, reported German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed approval of U.S. permission granted to Ukraine for the use of long-range weapons inside Russian territory.

Late last week, Scholz spoke to Putin over the telephone for the first time in two years, which was criticised by some European allies and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for potentially weakening the isolation of Russia. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorious defended the phone call and also said it only offered further evidence that Putin has little interest in engaging in negotiations with the West over Ukraine or other issues.

“I think it was not that effective as all of us would have hoped, because Putin reacted more or less at once in between 48 hours with his serious attacks, severe attacks on Ukraine infrastructure. But still, it is important to talk whenever it is possible to talk,” Pistorius said.

“This phone call gave the proof, gave the evidence that Putin is not willing to negotiate about anything. So everybody in Germany or in other countries in Europe should realize, finally, now, this is not the point for talking about peace,” he said. “Because every one of us wants peace, of course, but Putin does not want it – so any phone call gave proof to that.”

The Army Tactical Missile System or ATACMS deployed by Ukraine in the strike is a tactical ballistic missile manufactured by U.S. defence company Lockheed Martin. With a range of 300 kilometres, the supersonic missile can be launched from both Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Launch Systems (HIMARS).

Ukraine has been supplied with both MLRS and HIMARS.