Security experts said this would be the first military use of an intercontinental ballistic missile. ICBMs are strategic weapons designed to deliver nuclear warheads, and an important part of Russia's nuclear deterrent. “There was a new Russian missile today. All characteristics - speed, altitude - are similar to an intercontinental ballistic missile. An expert investigation is now underway,” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said in a video message.
The Ukrainian Air Force said the missile was fired from the Russian region of Astrakhan, more than 700 km (435 miles) from the Dnieper River in central-eastern Ukraine. They did not specify what type of warhead the missile had or what type of missile it was. There was no suggestion that she was equipped with nuclear weapons. When asked about the statement by the Ukrainian Air Force, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised journalists to contact the Russian military for comments.
Some military experts said the ICBM launch, if confirmed, could be seen by Moscow as an act of deterrence following Kyiv's strikes on Russia with Western weapons this week. “The launch of an ICBM could certainly be seen as a threatening gesture, potentially in response to the lifting of restrictions on ATACMS and Storm Shadow. It is a deterrent,” a European military source said. Russian military correspondents on Telegram and an official speaking on condition of anonymity said Kyiv fired British Storm Shadow cruise missiles at Russia’s Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, on Wednesday. Russia's Defense Ministry, in its daily update on events over the previous 24 hours on Thursday, said air defenses had shot down two British Storm Shadow cruise missiles, but did not say where.
Ukraine also launched US ATACMS missiles at Russia on Tuesday after US President Joe Biden gave the go-ahead to use such missiles, two months before he leaves office and Donald Trump returns to the White House. Russian President Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike on Tuesday in response to a wider range of conventional attacks. Trump said he would end the war without saying how and criticized billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine under Biden. The warring sides believe Trump is likely to push for peace talks, which have not been held since the early months of the war, and are trying to put themselves in a strong position ahead of the negotiations. Moscow has said using Western weapons to strike Russian territory far from the border would be a serious escalation of the conflict. Kyiv says it wants the ability to defend itself by striking Russian rear bases used to support Moscow's February 2022 invasion.
Ukraine also launched US ATACMS missiles at Russia on Tuesday after US President Joe Biden gave the go-ahead to use such missiles, two months before he leaves office and Donald Trump returns to the White House. Russian President Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike on Tuesday in response to a wider range of conventional attacks. Trump said he would end the war without saying how and criticized billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine under Biden. The warring sides believe Trump is likely to push for peace talks, which have not been held since the early months of the war, and are trying to put themselves in a strong position ahead of the negotiations. Moscow has said using Western weapons to strike Russian territory far from the border would be a serious escalation of the conflict. Kyiv says it wants the ability to defend itself by striking Russian rear bases used to support Moscow's February 2022 invasion.
