Rudolph Angler Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow had tested a new intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine, warning it could be used against nations enabling Kyiv to target Russia with their missiles.
The statement came hours after Ukraine accused Russia of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile at the central city of Dnipro overnight. Local authorities reported two injuries and damage to an industrial site and a rehabilitation center for disabled individuals.
In a televised address, Putin claimed the missile strike was retaliation for Ukraine’s recent attacks on Russian territory using US and British missiles. He added that future strikes with such missiles would come with prior warnings to allow civilians to evacuate. He also asserted that US air defense systems could not intercept the advanced Russian missiles.
American officials have assessed the Dnipro attack as involving an intermediate-range ballistic missile, launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region near the Caspian Sea. The Ukrainian Air Force corroborated the missile’s origin, intensifying tensions following Washington’s decision to permit Ukraine’s use of longer-range US missiles inside Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded sharply, calling Putin’s actions indicative of fear and recklessness. Earlier this week, Ukraine reportedly used US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike targets within Russia, shortly after receiving authorization from Washington. The move provoked a strong reaction from Moscow.
Adding to the escalating tensions, Putin signed a new military doctrine on the same day, allowing for a nuclear response to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation supported by a nuclear power. The shift coincides with reports that Russia has deployed North Korean troops to the conflict, a development cited as influencing the Biden administration’s recent strategic changes.