Russia Fires ICBM at Ukraine Amid Escalating Tensions

Russia Fires ICBM at Ukraine Amid Escalating Tensions

Russia launched an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) at Ukraine just a day after Vladimir Putin revised Moscow's nuclear doctrine. The ICBM, equipped with a conventional (non-nuclear) warhead, serves as a serious warning to Ukraine and its Western allies that Moscow's boundaries must be acknowledged.

ICBMs, which are typically designed to carry nuclear warheads, can also be utilized with conventional warheads. The development, technology, and design of ICBMs were intended to prepare a nation for a response in a nuclear scenario. Moscow's decisive action follows the recent approval from US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, allowing Ukraine to deploy Western long-range cruise and ballistic missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. Shortly after these approvals from Washington and London, Kyiv launched a US-made ATACMS missile and a UK-made 'Storm Shadow' missile aimed at Russian regions. Kyiv has stated that this marks the first instance of Moscow firing an ICBM, as both sides experienced significant escalations in the conflict, which reached its 1,000th day on Wednesday. Today, the Ukrainian Air Force issued a statement indicating that Russian forces had targeted the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro with various missile types this morning. They noted that the objective was to damage Ukrainian infrastructure. The statement further mentioned, "In particular, an intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation." According to an AFP news report, a source within the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that this was the first time an ICBM had been fired since the onset of the war in Ukraine. When asked about the ICBM launch, Moscow sidestepped the inquiry. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated he had "nothing to say on this topic." However, after updating its nuclear doctrine this week, the Kremlin asserted that it was making "maximum effort" to prevent a nuclear conflict. The new policy permits Moscow to utilize atomic weapons against certain threats.

The Russian spokesperson emphasized that Russia is committed to doing everything possible to prevent such a conflict. In a statement, Ukraine's Air Force reported that it successfully intercepted six missiles launched by Moscow, though it did not clarify if one of them was a Russian ICBM. Reports indicate that Russian airstrikes have caused damage to multiple homes in Dnipro and led to significant destruction throughout the city, including the destruction of an industrial complex and a rehabilitation center. Moscow also claimed that its air defense systems intercepted two Storm Shadow missiles, but it did not specify whether these interceptions occurred within Ukrainian airspace or over Russian territory. The war between Russia and Ukraine, now lasting more than two and a half years, has drifted further from diplomacy and dialogue, marked by a significant escalation from both sides, particularly after the grim milestone of 1,000 days of conflict. Both nations have deployed deadly long-range missiles to demonstrate their military strength, even as numerous world leaders have called on Putin and Zelensky to engage in diplomatic efforts to reach a resolution to the war.