Ukraine fires UK-made missiles into Russia for first time

For the first time since the conflict began, Ukraine has launched UK-made Storm Shadow missiles into Russia, according to various sources that spoke to the Guardian.

The choice to authorize the attacks came after over 10,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia's border with Ukraine. Officials from the UK and US cautioned that this move marked a serious intensification of the nearly three-year-long conflict.

The Guardian mentioned earlier this week that the UK is likely to soon authorize the use of Storm Shadow missiles within Russia. This decision comes on the heels of US President Joe Biden's agreement to allow the deployment of similar American Atacms missiles.

Videos shared on social media show that as many as 12 missiles hit a location thought to be a command center in the village of Maryno. This marks the first verified instance of British weapons being used on Russian territory during the conflict. Ukrainian news sources have suggested that the site might have been utilized by officers from North Korea and Russia.

Images that haven't been verified, shared on the Telegram messaging platform, seem to depict pieces of a missile in the Kursk region. Trevor Ball, a weapons specialist and former US Army member, commented that the images circulating do appear to be fragments from a Storm Shadow missile, although he couldn’t confirm whether they were recent or from the past.

The attack occurred just one day after Ukraine utilized missiles provided by the United States to hit locations in the Bryansk area.

Western officials have stated that they are concentrating on the North Korean buildup in the Kursk area and looking at facilities that could support a potential large-scale attack involving 50,000 troops in response to a Ukrainian advance in the region.

Storm Shadows are a cruise missile developed by the UK and France, boasting a maximum range of approximately 155 miles (250 kilometers). To date, they have been employed to target Russian positions in occupied Crimea, notably the naval headquarters of Russia's Black Sea fleet. These missiles are effective for accurately hitting bunkers and ammunition depots as well.

Vladimir Putin has cautioned that if US and UK missiles are used within Russia, it would be like NATO engaging in a direct confrontation with his country. Meanwhile, Western officials have indicated that Russia might increase attacks on vital infrastructure in Ukraine or resort to various unconventional warfare strategies against targets in Europe and other US allies globally.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Moscow would react "appropriately" following Ukraine's launch of six US-made Atacms missiles into an ammunition storage facility in the southwestern Bryansk region, just a day earlier.

Just a few hours ago, Russian President Putin approved a new nuclear policy that reduces the conditions for deploying nuclear weapons. This decision comes after Russian lawmakers cautioned that actions taken by the United States are escalating tensions and could lead to a "third world war."

Late at night, the Pentagon announced that there were no indications of Russia intending to deploy a nuclear weapon in Ukraine. They criticized Russian officials for their reckless comments.

Sabrina Singh, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, stated, “We will keep a close watch on the situation, but currently, there are no signs that Russia is getting ready to deploy a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.”

On Wednesday, the United States announced that it had briefly shut down its embassy in Kyiv in response to warnings of a possible major airstrike. They also advised American citizens to be ready to seek shelter if an air raid alert is issued.

These types of warnings are uncommon and are probably based on particular intelligence sources. The statement was made just before reports of the Storm Shadow attack emerged. Additionally, the US is said to have approved the supply of anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine, marking another development following Washington's authorization for Kyiv to deploy long-range missiles within Russian territory.

The embassy announced that the warning covers the entire country of Ukraine and recommended that individuals keep an eye on the news for any updates. They also mentioned, "The US embassy in Kyiv has obtained specific details regarding a possible major airstrike set to occur on November 20."

In light of safety concerns, the embassy will be shut down, and staff members have been advised to take shelter where they are. The US embassy advises American citizens to be ready to seek immediate refuge if an air alert is issued.

Later on Wednesday, Ukrainian news outlets reported that Russia had deployed as many as seven Tu-95 long-range bombers from its Engels air force base, possibly in readiness for a missile attack on Ukraine.

On Wednesday, the embassies of Italy, Spain, and Greece shut their doors for a time following the announcement made by the US. The US embassy has yet to announce if it will stay closed on Thursday.