Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) during an attack on Ukraine, marking the first known use of such a long-range, nuclear-capable weapon in the ongoing war, Ukraine's air force reported on Thursday. The missile was fired from Russia's Astrakhan region, targeting critical infrastructure in Dnipro, where industrial facilities sustained damage, and fires broke out, injuring two civilians. While the missile's payload remains unspecified, it follows an intensified exchange of strikes, including Ukraine’s use of U.S. ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles to target Russian territory earlier this week.
The missile launch underscores rising tensions as the war surpasses 1,000 days. Russia warned that Kyiv's use of Western weapons to strike deep into its territory constitutes a major escalation, raising concerns over the potential for broader conflict. Ukraine argues such capabilities are essential for defending against Russian aggression. The United States temporarily closed its embassy in Kyiv, citing the risk of significant air attacks, but later reopened it on Thursday. Meanwhile, speculation grows over whether the U.S. was pre-informed of the ICBM launch to avoid triggering defensive responses.
As both sides prepare for potential peace negotiations with Donald Trump’s return to the White House, they aim to secure strategic advantages. Moscow has increasingly framed Ukraine’s Western-backed strikes as provocations, while Kyiv insists on targeting Russian bases critical to sustaining the invasion. The dramatic use of an ICBM adds a new dimension to the conflict, raising fears of further escalation in a war that continues to reverberate globally.
