Russia’s Defence Ministry has said that Ukraine has fired US-supplied longer-range missiles at Russian territory for the first time, a day after Washington gave its permission for such attacks.

The ministry said yesterday, the strike had targeted the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine to the north. It said five missiles had been shot down and one had caused damage, with its fragments starting a fire at a military facility.

However, two US officials said, initial indications suggested Russia had intercepted just two missiles out of around eight fired by Ukraine.