War in Ukraine: what is this RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental missile that kyiv accuses Russia of having used for the first time?

This would be a first in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia if the information is confirmed. The Ukrainian Air Force accuses Russia of firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday, November 21, during an attack on the city of Dnipro in east-central Ukraine.

“An intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Russian region of Astrakhan,” the Air Force said in a statement. “This is the first time. We have never had this kind of missile before,” said the Air Force. specified a source within the army.

These types of missiles are normally designed to carry nuclear warheads and strike from thousands of kilometers away. This is a type of weapon designed as part of nuclear deterrence but which can be armed with a conventional charge.

Images posted on social media showing the Dnipro attack suggest it was a solid-burning RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of around 6,000 km. However, this information has not yet been verified. Already the day before, kyiv warned of the possibility of a RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile launch.

No nuclear charge

“It is obvious” that the missile did not carry a nuclear charge, given the limited extent of the damage,” the Ukrainian air force nevertheless declared after the strike. According to kyiv, Russia attacked the Ukrainian city from Dnipro (center-east) with nine missiles including one intercontinental The attack left two people injured and minor damage, according to regional authorities.

For its part, the Kremlin refused to comment on its rival's accusation that Moscow fired an intercontinental missile into its territory for the first time. “I have nothing to say on this topic,” replied Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov, when questioned by the media on this subject during a daily briefing.