Unnamed Western officials have denied Ukraine's earlier accusation that Russia used an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to attack the Dnipro region on November 21 (local time).
According to these officials, the above assessment was made based on initial analysis and left open the possibility that the conclusion could change.
Russia's RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile. (Photo: Tass)
Earlier, the Ukrainian Air Force Command said that on the morning of November 21, Russia carried out an attack targeting businesses and important infrastructure in the city of Dnipro with many types of missiles, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched from the Astrakhan region, southern Russia.
"Ukrainian air defense forces shot down six Kh-101 cruise missiles during the attack. In particular, one ICBM was launched from the Astrakhan region of Russia," the Ukrainian Air Force Command said.
The statement did not specify the type of ICBM and the specific target, nor whether it caused any damage.
According to Reuters, on November 21, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the information that Russia used intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to attack Ukraine was very worrying.
The attack comes after Ukraine used US and British ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles to strike targets inside Russia this week.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine fired six ATACMS ballistic missiles at a military facility in the Bryansk region deep inside Russian territory. Moscow’s air defenses shot down five of the missiles and damaged the remaining missile, whose debris fell and caused a fire at the facility, which was quickly extinguished.
On November 18, the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use US-made weapons to strike deep into Russian territory, a significant reversal of Washington’s policy in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Moscow had previously warned that the move to ease restrictions on the use of US weapons in Ukraine was a major escalation.
The move comes two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, 2025. It is unclear whether President-elect Trump will reverse Biden's decision when he takes office. Trump has long criticized the scale of US financial and military aid to Ukraine and has vowed to quickly end the conflict if elected.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine with incoming US President Donald Trump, Reuters reported, adding that Moscow and Kiev could soon negotiate a freeze on the conflict, as well as the creation of a demilitarized zone and some form of territorial exchange, specifically the Kursk and Kharkov regions.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that "freezing the conflict makes no sense for Russia" and "it is important that Russia achieves its goals".
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/quan-chuc-phuong-tay-noi-nga-khong-su-dung-icbm-tan-cong-ukraine-ar908891.html
Comment (0)