The World Holds Its Breath: What Will Be The Consequences Of Russia's ICBM Attack?

Ukraine reported on Thursday 21st Nov, that Russia had fired an intercontinental ballistic missile at its territory for the first time. If true, this would be a serious escalation in the war that has been going on for nearly three years.

Ukraine's air force reported that Russia used an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in an attack targeting important infrastructure in the city of Dnipro, located in central Ukraine.

The extent of the damage is still unknown, and the claim has not been independently confirmed. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment, according to The Times UK.

If true, this would be the first time an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) - a long-range weapon designed during the Cold War to carry nuclear or conventional warheads - has been used in an actual attack.

Anton Geraschenko, a former adviser to the Ukrainian government, wrote on X that Dnipro is the first city in history to be hit by an intercontinental ballistic missile.

This marks a significant moment in history. An intercontinental ballistic missile, which is typically tested on firing ranges (This means a controlled area where weapons, like missiles, are tested) has now been used to target a city with a population of one million people.

Tensions between Russia and the West were already high after Ukraine used British Storm Shadow and American Atacms long-range missiles to strike inside Russian territory. President Putin had earlier warned that such actions could be seen as a declaration of war against Russia.

Ukraine stated that the intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from Russia's Astrakhan region in the south. The attack also included a hypersonic Kinzhal missile and seven Kh-101 cruise missiles, six of which were intercepted and destroyed.

Officials in Dnipro reported that a facility and a center for people with disabilities were damaged, causing two fires in the city. At least two people were injured. Ukrainian media claimed the attack was aimed at the Yuzhmash space rocket factory, which produces satellites. Russia, however, claims the factory is also used by Ukraine to manufacture ballistic missiles.

Russia has frequently used short-range ballistic missiles in its attacks on Ukraine, but the use of much larger and more powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) would bring a frightening new aspect to the conflict.

Andrey Baklitskiy from the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research wrote on X that if this is true, it would be the first-ever military use of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). He added that it doesn't make much sense due to the missile's high cost and limited accuracy, reports The Times UK.

ICBMs, which can travel thousands of miles (thousands of kilometers), are launched either from silos (underground missile storage and launch sites) or mobile launch vehicles. In comparison, Atacms and Storm Shadow missiles have much shorter ranges of less than 200 miles (about 320 kilometers).

Russia's reported use of one of these missiles in Ukraine brings back memories of Cold War fears about the risk of nuclear war, a concern that started to fade in the late 1980s. This week, President Putin announced that Russia had changed its nuclear policy, making it easier for the country to use its large stockpile of nuclear weapons.

The Kremlin stated on Thursday ,21st Nov,that Russia is doing everything possible to prevent a nuclear war. Meanwhile, there have been reports that President Putin has not been seen in public for two weeks. Farida Rustamova, an independent Russian journalist with reliable sources inside the government, claimed that the Kremlin has been using pre-recorded videos to make it look like Putin is continuing his work as usual.

Rustamova's report is likely to spark more rumors about the health of the Russian leader. This wouldn't be the first time the Kremlin has tried to hide Putin's unexplained absences during times of heightened tension.

The Ukrainian air force told AFP news agency that the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that struck Dnipro did not have a nuclear warhead. A video shared online showed several powerful explosions as the missile seemed to break apart into multiple warheads.

Ukrainian media, quoting defense sources, reported that the ICBM used by Russia was an RS-26 Rubezh, which NATO calls the SS-X-31.The RS-26 Rubezh is a 50-ton ground-launched missile with a range of about 3,700 miles (around 5,950 kilometers). It is believed to travel at five times the speed of sound (about 6,174 km/h), making it very hard to intercept using the western missile defense systems supplied to Kyiv.