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Ukraine said the nuclear-capable missile had targeted the central city of Dnipro, however, the Kremlin declined to confirm it had launched the strike
The purported video shows the launch of the missile, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, aimed at Ukraine’s central city of Dnipro. (Screengrab via X)
A video has emerged showing what appears to be the launch of a non-nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Russia, marking what could be the first-ever use of this weapon in combat and a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict.
The purported video shows the launch of the missile, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, aimed at Ukraine’s central city of Dnipro. Bright lights can be seen emitting from the sky.
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In a statement, the Ukrainian Air Force said the missile was launched from the Russian region of Astrakhan, located more than 700 km (435 miles) away from Dnipro. The statement did not specify the type of missile or warhead used, and there was no indication that it was nuclear-armed.
However, the Kremlin has not confirmed whether it was responsible for the strike.
When asked if Moscow had fired the missile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had “nothing to say on this topic,” news agency AFP reported.
However, he did state that the Kremlin was making a “maximum effort” to avoid a nuclear conflict, following the update to its nuclear doctrine this week. The revised policy allows Moscow to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states.
The RS-26 Rubezh missile, with a range of 5,800 km, was allegedly fired by the Russian Air Force. The attack came just days after Ukraine launched US and UK-supplied missiles at targets inside Russia earlier this week.
(With inputs from agencies)