The city of Dnipro, in eastern Ukraine, was hit by an intercontinental ballistic missile this Thursday, November 21, which kyiv accuses Moscow of being at the origin.
This is the first time that this weapon would be used by Moscow, even if the missile was not equipped with a nuclear warhead.
TF1info takes stock of these accusations from Ukraine.
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War in Ukraine: a thousand days since the Russian invasion
This is a first in the war in Ukraine. kyiv accused Russia of having fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on its territory this Thursday, November 21. The strike hit the town of Dnipro, according to a statement released by the Ukrainian army. A new stage in this conflict where Russia seems to be using increasingly powerful weapons.
A range of several thousand kilometers
The strike would have taken place at dawn this Thursday, “between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.“, aimed at “critical businesses and infrastructure” from Dnipro, in east-central Ukraine. The missile would have been launched “from the Astrakhan region of Russia”in the south of the country, indicates the Ukrainian army.
However, little damage was noted. Only two people were injured, according to regional authorities, without knowing which strike precisely was at the origin. Eight other, more conventional missiles were launched in this attack, six of which were destroyed by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft system. Expertises continue to be carried out to clarify the situation on site.
No intercontinental missile had yet been used in this conflict: “It’s the first time” since 2022, confirms the kyiv army. This type of weapon has a range of several thousand kilometers. It can be equipped with a nuclear or conventional charge. But Ukraine avoided the worst this Thursday: it appears “obvious” that the missile used did not carry a nuclear charge, a source within the Ukrainian air force told AFP.
A new Russian nuclear doctrine
Russian defense has carried out several tests of these intercontinental missiles in recent months. The last one was at the beginning of November, only two weeks ago. Everything then went off without a hitch.
This episode marks a new escalation this Thursday, while Russia said it was preparing a response “appropriate” to Ukraine's use of Western missiles on Russian territory, which Moscow had described as a red line.
According to its new doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons, made official this Tuesday, Russia can now use them in the event of an attack “massive” by a non-nuclear country but supported by a nuclear power, a clear reference to Ukraine and the United States. The Kremlin, however, assured that Russia will “maximum effort” to avoid a nuclear conflict, saying he hoped that “other countries” would have “this responsible posture”.
A new example of immoral and irresponsible behavior
Spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Volodymyr Zelensky quickly reacted, accusing the “crazy neighbor” Russian to use Ukraine as “a testing ground”. For the Ukrainian president, it was indeed an intercontinental missile that hit his country: “All its characteristics, speed and altitude, are those of an intercontinental ballistic missile. The assessment is underway”he declared in a video published on X. This unprecedented attack shows “how scared is Vladimir Putin”he estimated.
Several Western countries have also reacted. London was outraged, calling it“irresponsible” alleged action by Moscow, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said this Thursday. “The information coming out of Ukraine is deeply worrying. If true, it would be another example of immoral, irresponsible behavior that would mark an escalation on the part of Russia.”he told journalists.
Finally, for the European Commission, this episode represents “a clear escalation” of the conflict, even without a nuclear charge. It would be a change “quantitative and qualitative”explained a spokesperson, accusing Russia of “play” with the nuclear threat.
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The Kremlin has not commented on this missile launch. In the middle of a press conference, the spokesperson for Russian diplomacy was interrupted by a call. At the other end of the phone, a deep voice orders him not to raise this subject, as shown in the video broadcast by LCI at the top of this article: “Regarding the ballistic missile strike on the Yuzhmash factory (near Dnipro, editor’s note)which Westerners have started talking about, does not comment at all.” Dmitri Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian presidency, also guaranteed that he did not “nothing to say on this theme”.
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