21-11-2024 (KYIV) Russia has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) against Ukraine for the first time since the war began, Ukrainian military officials revealed on Thursday.
The missile was fired from Russia’s southern Astrakhan region as part of a larger morning assault, marking a significant intensification in Moscow’s military strategy. This development comes in the wake of recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory using American and British-supplied missiles, which Moscow had previously indicated would be viewed as a major escalation.
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, the attack targeted industrial facilities and critical infrastructure in Dnipro, a major metropolitan centre in central-eastern Ukraine. While military officials confirmed the launch, they did not specify which targets were struck by the ICBM or detail the extent of any damage caused.
ICBMs, typically associated with nuclear capability but also compatible with conventional warheads, represent one of the most powerful weapons in Russia’s arsenal, with ranges extending thousands of kilometres.
During the same offensive, Ukrainian air defence systems successfully intercepted six Kh-101 cruise missiles, demonstrating the ongoing effectiveness of the country’s air defence network. However, the deployment of an ICBM presents a new challenge for Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.
