Ukraine Claims Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Attack: A First in Conflict History
Ukraine has claimed that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) targeting its territory for the first time, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the missile was fired toward the city of Dnipro, alongside other missile attacks involving hypersonic Kinzhal and Kh-101 cruise missiles.
The strikes reportedly caused damage to infrastructure and civilian injuries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, later stated that the missile used was not an ICBM but a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile with a range of several thousand kilometers, tested during the attack. This statement has not been independently verified.
The launch comes amid heightened tensions following Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range missiles, including the U.S.-provided ATACMS and the U.K.’s Storm Shadow missiles, to strike Russian positions.
Russia has responded with warnings of retaliation and threats against U.S. and NATO assets in the region.