NATO reaffirms support for Ukraine after Russian ballistic missile launch

By Melike Pala

ANKARA (AA) – NATO ambassadors on Tuesday reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine after a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile test launch, the alliance announced.

The NATO-Ukraine Council convened to discuss Ukraine's security situation in the wake of Russia's recent attack, said a NATO statement, adding that “senior Ukrainian military officials briefed the Council via video link.”

The statement emphasized that NATO allies reaffirmed their support for Kyiv during the meeting.

"The attack, which targeted Dnipro, is seen as another attempt by Russia to terrorize the civilian population in Ukraine and intimidate those who support Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked aggression."

“Deploying this capability will neither change the course of the conflict nor deter NATO Allies from supporting Ukraine,” said the statement, citing NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah.

The next NATO-Ukraine Council meeting is scheduled for the NATO Foreign Ministers’ gathering on Dec. 3-4.

- Russia’s missile test

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed last week that Ukraine used US-made ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles to strike Russia’s Bryansk region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a televised address, stated that Moscow retaliated by targeting a missile factory in Dnipro with a non-nuclear hypersonic ballistic missile known as Oreshnik. He said the strike was in response to the US and its NATO allies' authorization of the use of their long-range high-precision weapons for strikes inside Russia.

Putin also highlighted Russia’s approval of a doctrine allowing a nuclear response if the country faces a ballistic missile attack.

US officials confirmed reports that the Biden administration had authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles in operations inside Russia.