Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that an experimental ballistic missile had been fired at a military site in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
In a televised address, Putin framed the attack as a response to Ukraine's recent strikes on Russian targets using Western-supplied missiles, escalating tensions in the nearly three-year-long war.
“We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow to use their weapons against our facilities,” Putin said.
The missile, named Oreshnik ("the hazel"), reportedly targeted the Yuzhmash military facility and was described as nuclear-capable. Putin warned Western nations, particularly the U.S. and U.K., that Russia reserves the right to retaliate against countries providing Ukraine with weaponry.
U.S. and U.K. officials believe the missile fired was an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), capable of reaching Europe but not the U.S.
Ukraine initially claimed the missile was intercontinental but later revised the statement, citing its flight characteristics as indicative of an ICBM.
"Putin is using Ukraine as a testing ground," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, criticising the attack as further proof that Russia seeks war, not peace.
According to U.S. officials, Russia notified Washington of the launch via the Nuclear Threat Reduction Center just 30 minutes before the strike. While this aligns with treaty obligations, it underscores the risk of miscalculation or escalation in the conflict.
The attack occurred days after Ukraine used US-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike a weapons depot in Russia’s Bryansk region and launched Storm Shadow missiles at a command post in Kursk.
Both Russia and Ukraine are ramping up military efforts ahead of the January inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has expressed a desire to end the war.
The missile launch represents a stark escalation in Russia's strategy, drawing sharp warnings from the U.S. and U.K.
While experts suggest Russia possesses only a limited number of such experimental missiles, their use signals a willingness to test boundaries and intimidate adversaries.
The U.S. embassy in Kyiv briefly closed on Wednesday following intelligence of a "significant air attack", highlighting ongoing concerns over Russia's unpredictable military actions.