On the 21st (local time), there were claims among Western officials that Russia did not use intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) during an airstrike on Dnipro, Ukraine. According to Reuters, two Western officials, who requested anonymity, stated that “the missile fired by Russia at Ukraine was a ballistic missile, but it was not an ICBM,” adding that “the specifications of the missile are being evaluated.” This contradicts the claims of the Ukrainian military. However, they also noted, “this assessment is based on initial analysis and there is a possibility that the conclusion may change.”
Earlier, the UK’s Daily Telegraph reported that the Russian media outlet Moskovsky Komsomolets said the Russian military was preparing to launch an RS-26 ICBM from a military base near Astrakhan, a city located near the Caspian Sea, toward Kyiv. This missile travels at five times the speed of sound, making it difficult to intercept with Ukraine’s Patriot missile systems provided by the United States.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that it managed to shoot down six Kh-101 cruise missiles launched by Russia on the same day. German DPA news agency also reported that air raid alarms sounded across Ukraine early in the morning due to missile attacks by Russia.
Ukraine’s state news agency Ukrinform reported that Russia’s hypersonic Kinzhal missile struck the central-eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro. However, the Ukrainian military did not specify the target of the ICBM strike or the extent of the damage. They also did not disclose details such as the model of the ICBM launched by Russia.
If the Ukrainian military’s claims are proven true, it would mark the first time Russia launched an ICBM since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022.