Moscow, 21 November, 2024: In a major escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) aimed at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, marking the first use of such a powerful, nuclear-capable weapon since the war began in February 2022.
According to Ukraine’s air force, the missile struck early Thursday, targeting critical infrastructure and industrial sites. While the specific type of ICBM was not disclosed, officials confirmed it was fired from Russia’s Astrakhan region.
The missile caused severe damage to an industrial facility, sparking fires that left two people injured. In addition to the ICBM, Russia fired a Kinzhal hypersonic missile and seven Kh-101 cruise missiles, six of which were intercepted by Ukrainian defense systems.
This missile strike follows recent Ukrainian missile attacks on Russian territories, including British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles and US-supplied ATACMS missiles. Russia had warned that such strikes would mark a major escalation. The conflict reached its 1,000th day this week, heightening tensions between the two nations.
Ukraine’s air force did not confirm the warhead type of the ICBM but stated there was no indication that it was nuclear-armed. The ongoing war continues to cause widespread destruction, with both sides targeting each other’s critical assets as military strategies evolve.
