Ukraine said Russia fired a new type of missile at the city of Dnipro on Thursday, and while there was debate over the type, it appeared to be a nuclear-capable weapon carrying multiple warheads, in a new escalation of the 33 month war.
Kiev said Russia used an intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon designed for long-range nuclear strikes and never before used in war. Three US officials said it was an intermediate-range ballistic missile with a shorter range.
In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address that Russia launched a medium-range ballistic missile attack on a Ukrainian military facility in response to recent long-range Ukrainian attacks with Western weapons.
Regardless of classification, this latest attack highlighted the rapid rise in tensions in recent days.
Ukraine fired US and British missiles at targets inside Russia this week, despite warnings from Moscow that it would consider such action a serious escalation. The Russian ambassador in London said on Thursday that the UK is now “directly involved” in the war in Ukraine.
According to security experts, if the attack on the Dnipro involved an intercontinental ballistic missile, it would be the first use of this type of missile in a war. ICBMs are strategic weapons designed to deliver nuclear warheads and form an important part of Russia’s nuclear deterrent.
Intermediate-range ballistic missiles have a range of 3,000 to 5,500 km.
“Today, a new Russian missile was launched. All characteristics – speed, altitude – are (of an) intercontinental ballistic missile. An expert investigation is underway,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video statement.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry urged the international community to react quickly to what it called “Russia’s use of a new type of weapons.”
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the ICBM targeted Dnipro in east-central Ukraine and was launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, more than 700 km away. It did not specify what type of warhead the missile had or what type of missile it was. There was no suggestion that it was a nuclear-armed missile.
“Whether it’s an intercontinental ballistic missile or an IRBM, the range is not the important factor,” said Fabian Hoffmann, a researcher at the University of Oslo specializing in missile technology and nuclear strategy.
“The fact that it carries a MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Reentry Vehicle) payload is much more significant for signaling purposes and is why Russia opted for this. This payload is associated exclusively with nuclear-capable missiles.”
Russia also fired a Kinzhal hypersonic missile and seven Kh-101 cruise missiles, six of which were shot down, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Before Putin’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters to contact the Russian military for comment.
The NATO military alliance did not initially respond to requests for comment. The US European Command said it had nothing on the alleged use of an intercontinental ballistic missile and referred questions to the Defense Department.
Source: Terra
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