Western officials refute Kiev's claim of Russia ICBM attack on Ukraine
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Kiev's Air Force claims that Russia launched an ICBM at Dnipro, and Russia is yet to confirm.
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In this photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, an Iskander, a Russian mobile short-range ballistic missile system launcher, is prepared to launch a missile toward Ukrainian military infrastructure facilities from an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (AP)
Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile Thursday against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, Kiev's Air Force claimed, marking the first reported use of a weapon intended for long-range nuclear strikes in the ongoing conflict.
However, two Western officials told Reuters that Russia did not use an intercontinental ballistic missile during an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday, contradicting the official account from Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Western officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assessment was based on initial analysis and left open the possibility that the conclusion could change.
If confirmed, the missile launch underscores the escalating tensions in the 33-month-old conflict, just days after Ukraine fired US and British-made missiles at Russian targets, which Moscow had previously warned it would consider a significant escalation.
Security experts noted that this would mark the initial military deployment of an intercontinental ballistic missile. ICBMs, designed as strategic weapons to carry nuclear warheads, play a crucial role in Russia's nuclear deterrence strategy.
In a recorded statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, "Today, there was a new Russian missile. All the characteristics – speed, altitude – are (of an) intercontinental ballistic (missile). An expert (investigation) is currently underway."
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the missile was launched from Russia's Astrakhan region, located over 700 km (435 miles) from Dnipro in central-eastern Ukraine. They did not disclose the type of missile or the nature of its warhead but indicated there was no indication it was equipped with a nuclear warhead.
When questioned about the Air Force's statement, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov directed reporters to seek comments from the Russian military. Meanwhile, during a weekly briefing, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova received a phone call from an unidentified individual advising her not to comment, as seen in video footage.
RS-26 Rubezh missile
The Kiev-based outlet Ukrainska Pravda cited anonymous sources claiming the missile was an RS-26 Rubezh, a solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 5,800 km, according to the Arms Control Association.
The RS-26 missile, first successfully tested in 2012, is approximately 12 meters (40 feet) long and weighs 36 tons, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The CSIS also noted that the RS-26 is capable of carrying an 800-kilogram (1,765-pound) nuclear warhead.
The RS-26 is classified as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) under a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia. However, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) notes that it can function as an intermediate-range ballistic missile when equipped with heavier payloads and used at ranges below 5,500 km.
The Russian missile attack was aimed at enterprises and critical infrastructure in the central-eastern city of Dnipro, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Ukraine's Air Force did not specify the target of the ICBM or whether it caused any damage. However, regional governor Serhiy Lysak reported that the missile attack struck an industrial enterprise in Dnipro, igniting fires and injuring two people.
Russia also launched a Kinzhal hypersonic missile and seven Kh-101 cruise missiles, of which six were intercepted, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
'Unprecedented launch'
The NATO military alliance did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The US European Command stated it had no information regarding the reported use of an ICBM and directed inquiries to the US Department of Defense.
"If true this will be totally unprecedented and the first actual military use of ICBM. Not that it makes a lot of sense given their price and precision," Andrey Baklitskiy of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research posted on X.
German security expert Ulrich Kuehn remarked, "It appears that Russia has used an intercontinental ballistic missile in a war for the first time in history, targeting the civilian area of Dnipro."
Some military experts said the ICBM launch, if confirmed, could be seen as an act of deterrence by Moscow following Kiev's strikes into Russia with Western weapons this week.
"An ICBM launch can certainly be seen as a threatening gesture, potentially in response to the lifting of restrictions on ATACMS and Storm Shadow. It’s a means of deterrence," said a European military source.
Russia intercepts 5 ATACMS launched by Ukraine
Ukraine launched six US-made ATACMS missiles Tuesday targeting Russia's Bryansk region, according to Russia's Defense Ministry. The strike comes shortly after US President Joe Biden relaxed restrictions on Ukraine's use of American weapons, marking a significant shift as the war reaches its 1,000-day milestone.
Russia's Defense Ministry responded by announcing that its forces intercepted five of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles and partially damaged another. The debris reportedly landed on a nearby military facility, causing a fire but no injuries or structural damage.
