Moscow has vowed to retaliate after announcing that Ukraine used U.S.-provided ATACMS missiles to target Russian military facilities in the Kursk region on November 23 and 25, damaging infrastructure and injuring personnel, according to Russia's defense ministry.

This escalation follows Ukraine's first use of these missiles, which was sanctioned by Washington.

In response, Russia deployed an experimental hypersonic missile against Ukraine's Dnipro, as President Vladimir Putin warned of further actions based on U.S. and allied decisions.

The confrontation has heightened fears of increased conflict intensity, with Russian forces launching significant drone attacks, disrupting energy supplies in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine's military reported shooting down a record number of drones despite ongoing Russian assaults.

Concurrently, NATO and Ukrainian ambassadors were set to convene in Brussels to address these developments but little impact was anticipated.

The on-ground situation continues to evolve, with Russia claiming advances in the Kharkiv region.

Simultaneously, Russian-occupied territories of Kherson reported Ukrainian strikes causing civilian casualties.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia's actions and emphasized the need for stronger sanctions enforcement to curtail the ongoing war.