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Russia has fired an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, following days of escalating conflict.
Ukraine’s air defense forces said a non-nuclear missile was fired along with seven Kh-101 cruise missiles at the southern city of Dnipro.
The use of ICBMs came later Ukraine launched long-range US-made Atacms and British Storm Shadows missiles into Russian territory in recent days.
In response to the Atacms strikes, Russia changed its nuclear doctrine to lower the first use threshold. ICBMs are designed to carry nuclear warheads across continents, as opposed to so-called short- and medium-range missiles.
Their range of thousands of miles is much greater than missiles such as Atacms and Storm Shadows, which can travel between 250km and 300km.
Russia has previously used nuclear-capable missiles to attack Ukraine, albeit with shorter ranges. Russian forces have repeatedly fired ground-launched Iskander short-range ballistic missiles and air-launched Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, both of which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Ukraine said it intercepted six Russian missiles. They added that the ICBM was launched from Russia’s southern Astrakhan region. It did not specify what type of ICBM was used.
According to local authorities, two people were injured in the attack.
This is a developing story
