In a major escalation, Russia deploys an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) targeting Ukraine, intensifying the ongoing conflict.
According to Kyiv, Moscow escalated the conflict further on Thursday by launching an intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine for the first time. This follows Ukraine’s recent use of Western-supplied long-range missiles against Russia.
In a statement, the Ukrainian air force reported that Russian forces launched various types of missiles at Dnipro’s critical infrastructure in the morning.
“The statement indicated that an intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region.”
A source within the Ukrainian air force confirmed to AFP that this marked the first time since the Kremlin initiated its invasion that their forces had used the weapon.
The source emphasized that it was “obvious” the missile, designed to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, did not contain a nuclear charge.
When questioned about whether Moscow launched the missile capable of striking targets thousands of kilometers away, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that he had “nothing to say on this topic.”
The air force reported that air defense units successfully intercepted six missiles but did not specify if the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was among them.
The leader of the broader region encompassing the city of Dnipro reported that Russian aerial attacks had damaged a rehabilitation center, several homes, and an industrial enterprise.
“Two individuals were injured—a 57-year-old man received treatment at the scene, while a 42-year-old woman was hospitalized,” stated Sergiy Lysak.
Russia and Ukraine have intensified their deployment of deadly long-range missiles in recent days, following the United States’ approval for Ukraine to use its ATACMS against military targets within Russia—a request that has been on Kyiv’s agenda for a considerable time.
British media reported on Wednesday that Kyiv had fired UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles at Russian targets, following approval from London.
The Moscow defense ministry announced that its air defense systems had intercepted two Storm Shadow missiles, but did not clarify whether this occurred on Russian territory or in occupied Ukraine.
