Zelenskyy says Putin is 'terrified,' calls ballistic missile launch 'escalation'

 On Thursday, Russia launched a new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) targeting Dnipro, Ukraine, in what Kyiv initially identified as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The missile, reportedly experimental and based on the RS-26 Rubezh platform, was confirmed by U.S. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh. She noted that the U.S. had been "briefly" notified before the launch but withheld further specifics.

According to a U.S. official, Ukraine, and allied nations had been informed in advance about Russia’s potential use of such a missile to prepare accordingly. The official also stated that Russia likely has only "a handful" of these experimental weapons. The missile fired at Dnipro was equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), capable of delivering multiple warheads. However, the missile used on Thursday did not carry nuclear warheads.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack in his evening address, labeling the missile launch as "a severe escalation in the scale and brutality of this war." Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin defended the launch, claiming the right to target nations using their weapons against Russia. He described the missile as a "medium-range ballistic missile with non-nuclear hypersonic equipment" and stated the test was successful.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed that the U.S. had been warned 30 minutes before the missile's launch, identified as the "Oreshnik" missile. The event follows Russia’s recent update to its nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for deploying nuclear weapons. While Ukrainian officials initially identified the missile as an ICBM, they are still analyzing its remnants to confirm its type.

The Ukrainian Air Force tracked the missile's launch from the Astrakhan region in southwestern Russia. It reportedly targeted critical infrastructure in Dnipro, with six additional missiles launched alongside it. Ukrainian defense systems intercepted the others, leaving no casualties or significant damage reported. The missile’s range—approximately 600 miles—was shorter than typical ICBM capabilities, leading to ongoing assessments by U.S. and Ukrainian officials.

Experts analyzing footage of the missile described it as likely being a ballistic missile equipped with MIRV capabilities. The launch intensifies concerns of further escalation in the ongoing conflict. Recently, Ukraine used U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike Russian targets, including an ammunition depot in Bryansk. Although Ukrainian officials did not confirm specific targets, these strikes represented the first use of ATACMS in the conflict.

Following the ATACMS strikes, Ukraine also launched British Storm Shadow cruise missiles into Russian territory. These targeted a command post in the Kursk region reportedly hosting North Korean military personnel. A senior North Korean general was among those wounded, according to U.S. sources. Ukrainian military intelligence estimates over 10,000 North Korean troops are assisting Russian forces in the region.

Zelenskyy described Russia's missile strike as a manifestation of fear, accusing Putin of targeting Ukraine to suppress its aspirations for independence. "Putin is terrified of a neighbor embracing dignity and freedom," Zelenskyy said. "He will stop at nothing to keep Ukraine within his grasp."