Russia fires intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine for first time, Kyiv says
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Ukraine has reported that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time since the major invasion began in 2022, after several days of increased tension in the conflict.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian air defense forces reported that the missile, which was not equipped with a nuclear warhead, was launched along with seven Kh-101 cruise missiles targeting the southern city of Dnipro.
A high-ranking Ukrainian military officer informed the Financial Times that the missile in question was an RS-26 Rubezh, capable of traveling distances of up to 6,000 kilometers.
Ukraine reported that it managed to shoot down six of the Russian missiles that were fired, but it could not intercept the RS-26 missile, which it claimed was launched from Russia's southern Astrakhan area.
On Thursday, British Defence Secretary John Healey mentioned "unverified reports" about "a new ballistic missile" that has been fired at Ukraine, indicating that the Russians have been getting ready for this for several months.
Some experts challenge the labeling of the RS-26 as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). They contend that, due to its shorter range compared to typical ICBMs, it exists in a vague zone that blurs the lines between being classified as an ICBM and an intermediate-range missile.
According to the New Start nuclear arms control agreement between the US and Russia, which was established in 2010, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is characterized as a land-based missile capable of traveling over 5,500 kilometers.
Prior to Thursday, there had been no recorded instances of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) being utilized in any conflict.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on X, "Our irrational neighbor has once more shown its true colors."
He mentioned that the speed and height of the Russian missile indicate it may have intercontinental ballistic capabilities. They are continuing to investigate.
Local officials report that two individuals were hurt in the assault. However, it's uncertain what the missile was aimed at or how much damage was inflicted.
Pavel Podvig, a senior researcher at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research in Geneva, expressed on X that employing missiles like the RS-26 or actual ICBMs for conventional purposes isn't very logical. He pointed out that these missiles are not particularly accurate and come with a steep price tag.
"However, this type of strike could serve as a meaningful indicator," he noted.
The RS-26 is being utilized following Ukraine's recent use of American-made Atacms missiles and British Storm Shadow missiles against Russian targets.
In reaction to the Atacms attacks, Russia modified its nuclear strategy to decrease the conditions under which it might initiate a first strike.
ICBMs are capable of traveling much longer distances than missiles like Atacms and Storm Shadows, which have ranges of only 250 to 300 kilometers. ICBMs are specifically built to transport nuclear warheads across continents.
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In the past, Russia has deployed shorter-range missiles with nuclear capabilities to target Ukraine. The Russian military has consistently used ground-launched Iskander short-range ballistic missiles and the air-launched Kinzhal hypersonic missile, both of which can be armed with nuclear warheads.
The majority of ICBMs can cover much longer distances than the RS-26, reaching ranges of 8,000 kilometers to 15,000 kilometers.
Podvig stated that the "RS-26 shouldn't be classified as an intercontinental missile. Although it was tested to reach over 5,500 kilometers, it essentially operates as an intermediate-range missile."
Fabian Hoffmann, a PhD researcher at the University of Oslo, mentioned that the video of the attack indicated that the missile was equipped with a payload known as a multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle. This type of payload is only utilized for launching nuclear warheads.
Hoffman explained, "The message is clear: 'Today's attack didn't involve nuclear weapons, but tomorrow might be different.' There's really no strategic advantage to this. If the goal was to hit specific targets, there are far more effective missile systems available."
The strike occurs just two months before Donald Trump, who has been elected president, returns to the White House. Trump has promised to quickly resolve the conflict in Ukraine, although he hasn't provided details on his plan.
Samus explained that Russia should have informed the US about its intention to launch an ICBM in order to prevent the possibility of American defense systems interpreting it as a nuclear strike against NATO.
He mentioned that Ukraine's air defense systems are not capable of intercepting an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
