Russia takes new escalatory step with “experimental” missile
Russia used a new type of missile in its strikes against Ukraine yesterday, first described by the Ukrainian military as an intercontinental ballistic missile and later classified by the Pentagon as an “experimental intermediate range ballistic missile … based on Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh [ICBM] model.” A Pentagon press secretary said the US had been pre-notified by Russia “briefly, before the launch, through nuclear risk reduction channels.”
The attack, launched at the city of Dnipro, also included seven Kh-101 cruise missiles, of which six were reported intercepted, and one Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missile. Local authorities reported two injuries and minor infrastructural damage.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an address yesterday, confirmed Russia’s use of its “newest medium-range … ballistic missile with non-nuclear hypersonic capabilities.” He said it was in response to Ukraine employing US- and European-supplied missiles against targets in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions earlier this week and, more broadly, a reaction to “NATO’s aggressive actions towards Russia.” “We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against the military targets of those countries that allow the use of their weapons against Russian targets,” Putin said.
