Kyiv/IBNS: After US-supplied long-range missiles, Ukraine has now fired British cruise missiles at military targets inside Russia for the first time, media reports said.

This comes after the UK approved Kyiv to use Storm Shadow missiles in response to Russia deploying North Korean troops in its war against Ukraine.

The British government considered Moscow's move to be an escalation in the war which has entered 1,000 days, Bloomberg quoting sources reported.

Earlier the US administration led by resident Joe Biden permitted Ukraine to fire long-range ATACMS missiles at Russian targets.

The issue dominated the Group of 20 leaders' summit in Brazil this week but UK Keir Prime Minister Starmer didn't publicly back the move then despite being seen as an advocate.

This raised concerns about whether the Starmer government would allow the use of British-made Storm Shadows.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has long called for Western military support, including allowing the use of long-range missiles to hit targets in Russia that are crucial to Vladimir Putin's war effort.

Earlier, Joe Biden authorised Ukraine to use long-range American missiles inside Russia.

Marking 1,000 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country, a senior UN official on Tuesday said the international community must continue to show solidarity with Ukraine.

Conflict erupted in Ukraine over a decade ago following Russia’s occupation of Crimea in the east and escalated in February 2022, with a full-scale assault on the country.

More than 39,000 civilians have been killed or injured, and over 3,400 schools and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, while 10 million people have fled their homes, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, said.