Ukraine claimed it hit a military weapons depot in Bryansk in the middle of the night, though it didn’t specify what weapons it used.

The US decision to authorise long-range Ukrainian strikes could help Kyiv defend the foothold in Russia's Kursk region but may come too late to change the course of the war, analysts say.

Russia has warned that the Biden administration’s approval for Ukraine to use long-range US missiles (ATACMS) represents a significant escalation in the conflict. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called it a new stage of US involvement.

The US has never allowed Kyiv to use long-range missiles for attacks inside Russia proper – until now.