Russia’s use of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile marks a decisive, and potentially dangerous moment in Moscow’s conflict with the West.

Putin is the primary decision-maker on the use of Russia's nuclear arsenal. The doctrine said any attack by a non-nuclear power supported by a nuclear power would be considered a joint attack, and that any attack by one member of a military bloc would be considered an attack by the entire alliance, it said.

Russia’s use of a new nuclear-capable hypersonic ballistic missile in Ukraine is not only escalating the war but lobbing an unmistakable threat at Europe and the West.

President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia will continue to test and start mass-producing the hypersonic ballistic missile that it fired at Ukraine Thursday.

Russia's new intermediate-range ballistic missile has NATO members on edge after the missiles were used in a strike on Ukraine early Thursday morning.