Putin ‘to unleash new Frontier missiles on Ukraine’ in revenge for US and UK rockets striking Russian soil: 3,600mile-range weapons could strike anywhere in Europe with three times the payload of traditional Kremlin bombs

Russia is threatening to fire new ‘massive’ missiles that could strike anywhere in Europe after dozens of US and British missiles were fired at Kursk.

In a dramatic development, up to 12 Storm Shadow missiles were launched on Wednesday at targets in the southern Russian province where Kiev forces have captured territory.

The Mail understands that the attacks, which followed the firing of US-supplied ATACMS missiles by Ukraine on Tuesday, were personally approved by Sir Keir Starmer.

In retaliation, Russia is now preparing to launch its deadly RS-26 or Frontier missiles from a base in Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea, local media report.

The weapons weigh up to 50 tons and have a range of 5,600 kilometers, although they have never been used in combat.

Kiev has instead been hit by smaller, slower Iskander missiles since the war began in February 2022.

The Kremlin has already warned this week that it will respond harshly to sanctioning the use of American and British missiles on Russian territory.

ATACMS – Army Tactical Missile – is fired from an M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System

The Storm Shadow missiles hit a building with an underground ‘control room’ where Russian and North Korean military officials are believed to be hiding

According to Moskovsky Komsomolets, a Moscow-based newspaper, a military expert had spoken too openly about retaliation.

Timur Syrlanov, a Russian military analyst, said Ukraine should “tremble” over the use of the RS-26 missile.

The newspaper reported that he said: “In this situation we will not use nuclear weapons, but the neo-Nazis and their Western allies will, I think, in the coming days appreciate the blow that will be dealt to Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and possibly, to targets in Kiev itself.

“Let them tremble, be afraid, and wait for landings somewhere. Moreover, the enemy understands very well that our weapons can reach any targets throughout Ukraine.”

Putin yesterday provocatively signed changes to the country’s laws on nuclear weapons to make it easier for them to be used against Ukraine.

And its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov chillingly warned that the strikes were a clear signal that Kiev “wanted to escalate” and that Russia would “respond accordingly.”

The terrifying sabre-rattling was confirmed by Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president’s close ally. In a post on

It came after Kiev launched six ‘ATACM’ missiles from a secret location across the border into Russian territory on Tuesday.

The RS-26 or Frontier missiles weigh up to 50 tons and have a range of 3,600 miles, although they have never been used in combat

Images shared on social media show what appear to be fragments of a British Storm Shadow missile in Marino, Kursk

Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles are capable of evading air defenses, making them a nightmare offensive weapon for their enemy

Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19

One image shows a written indentation on a piece of metal that reads: ‘Storm Shadow’

The attacks caused a fiery explosion at a depot in Karachev believed to be storing ammunition supplied by North Korea, about 75 miles from the Ukrainian border.

But as tensions escalate in the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Defense Secretary announced that the British military would be hit with £500 million in cuts.

John Healy said the Labor government would cut six major programs across the armed forces, including the army’s main drone fleet and two amphibious assault ships – HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark.

The plans have been criticized by former Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, who claimed they would send a signal of weakness to Britain’s adversaries.

In The Telegraph he wrote: ‘To deter our enemies they need to know that we don’t want any gaps in our capabilities or we will soon be upgrading them.

“It is sheer folly to tell the world that we are reducing our capabilities while our enemies are doing the opposite.

‘No one should be fooled by Labour’s tired and misleading excuse that “we need to wait for a defense review” – yet another excuse.’

Fragments of the Storm Shadow missiles were recovered by Russian military bloggers on Wednesday afternoon and unverified photos were posted on social media.

A fiery explosion lit up the night sky Tuesday about 77 miles (123 kilometers) from the nearest Ukrainian border at an ammunition dump in Karachev, Russia’s Bryansk region.

Vladimir Putin’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (pictured) chillingly warned that Moscow would “respond accordingly”, describing the strike as a signal that Kiev “wanted to escalate”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Denmark at the Presidential Palace in Kiev on November 19

The pieces were apparently stamped with the words Storm Shadow.

Multiple explosions – preceded by high-pitched whistling apparently from incoming missiles – were heard on videos recorded near the village of Maryino. The footage also showed smoke rising from buildings.

Unconfirmed reports suggested that Ukraine had targeted an underground command and control facility 50 miles inside Russia.

The navigation data and satellite intelligence that made the airstrikes possible were said to have been provided by the US.

The attacks, which have not been confirmed by the British government, follow the use of UK Storm Shadows to take out Russian military infrastructure in Crimea.

The significant difference is that while Britain considers occupied Crimea to be Ukrainian sovereign territory, Kursk is recognized by Britain as belonging to Russia.

It is understood that the last time British weapons were used on Russian sovereign territory was during clashes between an Allied force and the Bolsheviks in the Arctic Archangel region in 1918-1919. Before that it was during the Crimean War in the 1850s.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Healey refused to confirm the reports or reveal operational details.

He told MPs: “We have seen a significant change in politics in recent weeks [Russian] action and rhetoric about Ukraine. We as a nation and as a government are redoubling our support for Ukraine and intend to do more.”