In a significant escalation of the conflict, Russia has just fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into Ukraine.
Kiev confirmed that Russian troops launched various missiles, including an ICBM, from the Astrakhan region.
The missiles were fired in an attack on Ukraine early Thursday morning.
Ukraine’s Air Force said on its Telegram account that it destroyed six Kh-101 cruise missiles using anti-aircraft combat.
The Russian attack hit critical infrastructure in the central-eastern city of Dnipro, according to the air force.
This comes after Ukraine fired American-supplied long-range missiles into Russia on Tuesday.
The move was authorized by President Joe Biden on Sunday.
It marked the first time had fired deep into Russia in the 1,000 days of war.
The efforts to escalate the war come just two months before President Donald Trump will be sworn into the White House with a plan to swiftly end the conflict.
There are currently no reports of injuries or fatalities.
If the attack did involve an ICBM, it would mark a major escalation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the first time such a weapon has been used.
Ukraine’s Air Force Command says that Russia launched an ICBM targeting the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
This unprecedented escalation follows Ukraine’s recent use of US-made MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and British Storm Shadow missiles to strike military targets deep within Russia.
The use of an ICBM is Russia demonstrating its greater capabilities in response to Ukraine’s long-range missile strikes.
A senior Ukrainian military official told the Financial Times that Russia launched an ICBM called “RS-26 Rubezh.”
These missiles have a range of 3,700 miles and can strike any European capital.
An RS-26 Rubezh can be used to deliver a thermonuclear warhead or an Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle.
However, Thursday morning’s attack on the Dnipro region was a non-nuclear, conventional warhead.
“Using these kinds of missiles, whether RS-26 or a true ICBM, in a conventional role does not make a lot of sense because of their relatively low accuracy and high cost,” Pavel Podvig, a senior researcher at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, wrote on X.
“But this kind of a strike might have a value as a signal,” Podvig added.
Videos posted on X show what could be warheads from the ICBM striking targets in Dnipro.
WATCH:
BREAKING:
New video shows a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) striking Ukraine.
The video shows reentry vehicles from its MIRV hitting the city of Dnipro.
It’s the first time in history that an ICBM is used in war. pic.twitter.com/o198cJXvXm
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 21, 2024
BREAKING: Russia has launched a non-nuclear Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) against Ukraine, marking a first in history.
The missile hit the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
ICBMs can be equipped with nuclear warheads.
This is seen as a dire warning. pic.twitter.com/UqgJplbWzz
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) November 21, 2024
Many have argued that the Biden-Harris administration is intentionally provoking Russia with the deployment of ATACMS and British missiles.
The move clearly appears to be an effort to escalate the war before Trump takes office.
US officials have since closed the US Embassy in Kiev “out of an abundance of caution.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters:
“It’s a very dangerous position that the outgoing administration is taking.
“There is a new escalation happening.”
READ MORE – WW3 Fears Escalate After Biden Gives Order for Ukraine to Fire U.S. Missiles into Russia
