US ATACMS ballistic missile launch. (Source: AP)

According to Sputniknews , on November 24, on social network X, Mr. Ritter wrote: "President Joe Biden will drag us into a war before January 20, 2025."

He accused President Joe Biden of ignoring the will of the people through a policy of escalating the conflict in Ukraine, bringing the US "to the brink of a nuclear war with Russia".

Earlier, the New York Times reported that President Biden for the first time allowed Ukraine to use long-range US missiles to strike deep into Russian territory.

According to RIA Novosti , Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev stated that Moscow could use nuclear weapons if necessary, but affirmed that there is no "madman" in the Russian leadership who would want this.

On November 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the Basic Principles of State Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence, emphasizing that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of weapons of mass destruction against it or its allies.

The document also states that aggression against Moscow or its allies by a non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state would be considered a joint attack.

On the same day, November 24, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that after the attack with long-range ATACMS missiles provided by the US in Bryansk province, the Ukrainian army could target Russia's Rostov province. WSJ stated that Rostov is one of the areas with many airports that Ukraine could attack.

The US Institute for the Study of War has published a map of about 200 potential targets in Russia within the 305 km range of the ATACMS missile.

On the night of November 24, Russian air defense forces announced that they had shot down and intercepted 34 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including 27 UAVs in Kursk province, 2 UAVs in Belgorod province, 1 UAV in Oryol province, and 4 UAVs in the sky over Lipetsk province.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that during the week of November 18-24, Russian air defenses shot down five ATACMS missiles and two British Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

In response, the Russian military carried out 30 group strikes, including with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.