US-supplied ATACMS will allow Ukrainian forces to target Russia’s Crimean Peninsula “more effectively,” the New York Times (NYT) reported. Earlier, US officials confirmed reports that Ukraine had started deploying a new weapon against Russian targets well beyond the frontlines. Supplying Ukraine with longer-range weaponry was aimed at increasing pressure on Crimea, currently considered a safe haven for Russia, the Times wrote. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said there could be an "apocalypse" if Russia used nuclear weapons in retaliation for Western actions. Meanwhile, NATO* chief Jens Stoltenberg said it was "not too late for Ukraine to prevail" against Russia as long as its allies fulfil promises to deliver more weapons.