Russia warns of Ukraine's ATACMS attacks

(CLO) Russia said Ukraine's use of US-made long-range ATACMS missiles to attack Russian territory marked a "new stage of the Western war" against Moscow, and vowed to respond "proportionately".

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on November 19 that Ukraine had fired six ATACMS missiles into the Bryansk border area. Russian air defense systems intercepted five, while the remaining one caused damage. The attack took place after the US officially approved Ukraine to use this type of missile to attack targets in Russian territory.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the G20 Summit in Brazil. Photo: TASS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the move at the G20 summit in Brazil: “This is a clear signal of an escalation of tensions. We consider this a new stage in the war and will respond accordingly.” He also accused the US of providing technical assistance to Ukraine to operate the missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that his country has received ATACMS missiles from the US and is working with partners to enhance its long-range strike capabilities. Mr. Zelenskyy affirmed that Ukraine will use all available weapons to protect its territory.

Several unnamed officials from Ukraine and the US also revealed that ATACMS missiles were used in the attack in Bryansk, although the Ukrainian military did not publicly release this information.

Not long ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons, allowing Moscow to respond nuclear even in the face of conventional attacks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “The new doctrine allows Russia to respond with nuclear weapons if the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Russia or Belarus is seriously threatened.” Previously, the 2020 doctrine only mentioned the use of nuclear weapons in the event of Russia facing an existential threat.

Foreign Minister Lavrov called on the West to read the decree carefully and warned that any supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine by the US, UK, or France would be considered direct involvement in the war.

The United States and its Western allies have strongly condemned Russia’s change in its nuclear doctrine. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Russia was trying to “intimidate and coerce” other countries through the use of “provocative nuclear language.” The European Union (EU) also criticized Russia for “taking a dangerous gamble” with nuclear weapons.

Cao Phong (according to TASS, AP, Al Jazeera)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nga-canh-bao-ve-giai-doan-moi-cua-chien-tranh-post322077.html