On November 18, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin met at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, with Yevgeny Balitsky, the Moscow-appointed governor of the Russian-controlled region of the Zaporozhye region of Ukraine (not shown).
Vyacheslav Prokofiev | via Reuters
Ukraine said Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile overnight, targeting the city of Dnipro in the east-central part of the country. If confirmed, it would be the first time Moscow has used such a missile in a war.
The Ukrainian Air Force issued a statement on the Telegram messaging app on Thursday that did not specify the type of missile but said it was launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, which borders the Caspian Sea.
According to reports, an intercontinental ballistic missile was launched toward the city of Dnipro along with eight other missiles, and the Ukrainian military shot down six of the missiles.
The attack injured two people and damaged an industrial facility and a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities, according to local officials.
While the range of an ICBM used against Ukraine may seem excessive, such missiles are designed to carry nuclear warheads, and the use of an ICBM would be a chilling reminder of Russia’s nuclear capabilities and send a strong message of potential escalation.
The attack came two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law revised nuclear doctrine, formally lowering the country’s threshold for using nuclear weapons. Ukraine fired several U.S.-supplied long-range missiles at Russia on Tuesday and reportedly fired British-made Storm Shadow missiles at Russia on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that its air defense systems shot down two British-made Storm Shadow missiles, six HIMARS rockets and 67 drones. The news was released in the ministry’s daily review of military operations in Ukraine.
The statement did not specify the specific time and place of the incident, nor did it specify the target of the missile. This is not the first time that Moscow has publicly announced the downing of a “Storm Shadow” missile. Russia had previously reported shooting down some missiles over the annexed Crimean peninsula.
The war’s international impact continues to grow as North Korean troops arrive on the battlefield to help Russia. The Kremlin responded by escalating the threat.
Putin has previously warned the United States and other NATO allies that allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons provided by the West to strike Russian territory would mean that Russia and NATO would plunge into war.
The new doctrine allows Moscow to mount a potential nuclear response to a conventional attack on Russia by any country backed by a nuclear power.
While the doctrine envisions a possible Russian nuclear response to a conventional strike, it was broadly crafted to avoid a firm commitment to nuclear use and leave Putin with options.
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