Putin has announced that Moscow tested a new intermediate-range missile during a strike on Ukraine, emphasizing that the weapon could also target countries supporting Kyiv’s attacks on Russian territory.
The statement came after Ukraine reported that Russia had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile overnight, striking the city of Dnipro. Local officials confirmed two injuries and damage to an industrial site and a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities.
In a televised address, Putin stated that any future strikes with similar missiles would come with prior warnings to allow civilians to evacuate. He also claimed that US air defense systems would not be able to intercept Russia’s missiles effectively.
US officials, analyzing the overnight attack, suggested it involved an intermediate-range ballistic missile. The strike followed a week of heightened tensions, marked by Washington’s decision to let Ukraine use American long-range missiles for attacks deeper inside Russian territory.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that the missile targeting Dnipro was launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, near the Caspian Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, calling it another demonstration of Russia’s aggression and fear.
Earlier in the week, Ukraine fired US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) into Russian territory after receiving authorization from Washington. The move elicited sharp criticism from Moscow.
On the same day as Ukraine’s strike, Putin enacted a revised nuclear doctrine, allowing for a potential nuclear response to conventional attacks on Russia by nations backed by nuclear powers. The US clarified that its decision to greenlight the use of long-range missiles was a reaction to Russia reportedly deploying North Korean troops in the conflict.