The Russian leader’s use of the missile against Ukraine sends a powerful signal about his intention to weaken NATO and bend Europe’s security architecture to Russia’s will.

Last week, Russia fired its new intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Ukraine and hit a factory in the central city of Dnipro, as the country puts the weapon into mass production

President Vladimir Putin warned that his forces could strike “decision-making centers” in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with new ballistic missiles as retaliation for attacks on Russia using Western missiles.