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

Russia on Thursday fired an experimental missile at Ukraine in a clear warning of its capabilities, officials from Western governments said, even as they pushed back against Ukrainian claims of a more provocative action by Moscow.

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.

Today, our insane neighbor has once again revealed its true nature—its disdain for dignity, freedom, and human life itself. And, most of all, its fear.'

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.

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia would keep testing its new Oreshnik hypersonic missile in combat and had a stock ready for use. Putin was speaking a day after Russia fired the new intermediate-range weapon into Ukraine for the first time,

This week's saber rattling has come during a period in which the war has passed 1,000 days and at a pivotal moment in the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.