This would be the first time in history that this type of missile has been used. Ukraine accused Russia on Thursday of having struck it with an intercontinental ballistic missile, designed to carry nuclear warheads, even if it did not carry an atomic warhead. This would constitute an unprecedented escalation of the war, if the use of this weapon is confirmed.
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Russia fired an “experimental medium-range ballistic missile” at Ukraine, not an intercontinental missile, a senior American official said Thursday. “This remains a strategic event,” says a nuclear specialist. Moscow “seeks to intimidate Ukraine and the countries that support it by using this weapon, or to attract attention, but this will not change the situation in this conflict,” continued the American official.
According to the latter, who requested anonymity, Russia “probably only has a handful of these experimental missiles” and Ukraine “has withstood countless Russian attacks, including those carried out with missiles with clearly visible warheads.” more powerful.” The United States had “informed Ukraine and close partners and allies in recent days” about the possible use of this missile by the Russians, in order to help them “prepare” for it.
An RS-26 first mentioned
It was initially reported that Russia had fired an RS-26 Rubezh missile, with a range of approximately 5,800 km. This type of missile, which Russia regularly tests on its territory, is designed to carry nuclear warheads and strike thousands of kilometers away. It would be capable of carrying four very high-power thermonuclear warheads.
The missile was fired “from Russia's Astrakhan region”, located on the border with Kazakhstan, and was aimed at the east-central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
“Nothing to say” about this shot on the Russian side
Several military experts remained cautious, before the United States' announcement, about the precise nature of the missile used, its exact range, and noted that it is difficult to give a definitive answer without analyzing the debris. The spokesperson for the Russian presidency, Dmitri Peskov, questioned by media during a daily briefing, said he had “nothing to say” about this supposed shooting.
On the Western side, no country has confirmed the type of missile fired, while expressing concern. The spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lemoine, affirmed that this was an “extremely serious” event if it is proven. The European Union and London, also cautious about the veracity of this information, declared that this would constitute “an escalation” on the part of Moscow.
An agreement between the United States and the USSR signed in Moscow in 1988 provides for notification between the two parties, at least 24 hours in advance, of the planned date, the launch area and the area of impact for any launch of an ICBM or SLMB (sea-ground).
