Russia hits Ukraine with an intercontinental ballistic missile, the air force reports

Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Ukraine early in the morning of Thursday, November 21, marking a significant escalation in its ongoing assault on the country.

The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the attack, which also involved several other missile types targeting critical infrastructure.

“On November 21 between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., Russian forces attacked the city of Dnipro, hitting businesses and critical infrastructure,” the air force said.

“The attack included an ICBM launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, a Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile fired from a MiG-31K jet in the Tambov region, and seven Kh-101 cruise missiles launched by Tu-95MS bombers near the Volgograd region. ”

An intercontinental ballistic missile has a minimum range of five thousand kilometers, but some can travel a distance of more than nine thousand kilometers.

As of 10:30 a.m., no expert analysis has confirmed the accuracy of the information, so the details remain unverified by the Kiev Post.

The Guardian writes that if this information is confirmed, it will be the first use of this type of missile during the war.

The attack triggered air warnings across the country at 5:05 am. Explosions were reported around 7:15 a.m. in Dnipro, where an industrial facility and critical infrastructure suffered heavy damage and a fire broke out, according to local authorities.

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Emergency power cuts were implemented in the Kiev, Dnipro, Odesa, Sumy, Zhytomyr and Donetsk regions to stabilize the energy grid amid the attacks. Officials continue to work to assess and repair damage as winter approaches.

The missiles, fired by Tu-95MS bombers, entered Ukrainian airspace from the north, traveling through Chernihiv before heading towards central and southeastern Ukraine.

Explosions and air warnings were reported in Poltava, Kremenchuk and Zaporizhia. Air raid sirens were lifted in the western regions by mid-morning.

On Wednesday, November 20, reports circulated on Ukrainian social media that Russia had planned a large-scale missile attack for the same day. The attack will reportedly involve the RS-26 Rubezh, a new ballistic missile with a range of up to 6,000 kilometers (3,728 miles). However, at least some of the reports were dismissed as Russian disinformation, according to the Ukrainian military intelligence service “HUR”.

The US embassy in Kiev warned American citizens on November 20 of a possible missile attack, expected to occur on the same day.

The warning, posted on the embassy’s website, mentions “specific information” about the threat. The embassy had urged U.S. citizens in Ukraine to seek immediate shelter during air alerts.

The warning follows heightened tensions after Ukraine reportedly used US-supplied ATACMS long-range missiles against an ammunition depot in Russia’s Bryansk region. The attack came days after Washington allowed Kiev to use these weapons in response to escalating Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy – 120 missiles and 90 drones on Sunday – and the arrival of North Korean troops in Russia.