The United States assured this Thursday that Russia did not use an intercontinental ballistic missileICBM) to attack an infrastructure in the city of Dnipro, in central Ukraine, but a medium range ballistic missile (MRBM), a weapon of lower power and range.
As explained to the news agency EFE an American official, the United States has concluded that the missile used was medium-range, with a maximum range of between 1,000 and 3,000 kilometersunlike intercontinental ballistic missiles, designed mainly to carry nuclear weapons and which have a range of more than 5,500 kilometers.
For his part, through his spokesman, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that “It is the first time that Russia uses a ballistic missile in Ukraine with a range of several thousand kilometers.”
A few hours after the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Oreshnik as a “ballistic missile” deployed in this case. “in non-nuclear hypersonic configuration”, and stated that this Thursday’s “test” had been a success and had achieved its objective.
According to Putin, air defenses cannot intercept the Oreshnik, which attacks at a speed of Mach 10, that is, between 2.5 and 3 kilometers per second. “Modern air defense systems… cannot intercept these types of missiles. “It’s impossible,” he said. “Today there are no means to counter such a weapon”the Russian president boasted.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned official pointed out that the Joe Biden Administration recently offered Ukraine and Washington’s allies information about the possibility that Russia would resort to medium-range ballistic missiles, with the aim of them being prepared.
The deputy spokesperson for the Pentagon, Sabrina Singhindicated this Thursday in a press conference that the United States was notified shortly before the launch through Nuclear Risk Reduction channels.
The representative of the Department of Defense did not want to specify how much notice they received but criticized that the launch constituted an escalation of the conflict.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin“continues to carry out provocative actions. These actions represent an ever-greater escalation,” said Singh, according to which “any weapon used on the battlefield absolutely poses a threat to the Ukrainians” and it is “certainly worrying” that this experimental missile was used.
The possibility that Russia has used an intercontinental ballistic missile has generated concern in recent hours, due to the nuclear implications of this type of weaponry.
The presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov declared that Russia is carrying out “maximum efforts” to avoid a nuclear conflictamid the nuclear threats launched by the Russian president following Washington’s authorization for Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russian targets.
Peskov also described “new climb” the Ukrainian attacks carried out this week against targets in Russian territory with long-range Western-made missiles, blaming the outgoing US administration for “continue fueling the conflict.”
Just a few days ago, Biden authorized Ukrainian forces to use long-range tactical missiles ATACMS to attack Russian targets. In response, Russia modified its military doctrine, which now contemplates the use of nuclear weapons in the event of conventional attacks that compromise the sovereignty of Russia and Belarus.
Putin confirmed this Thursday the Russian attack on Ukraine with a hypersonic ballistic missile no nuclear charge and specified that it was an Oreshnik medium-range missile, which was launched against a facility of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
The Russian president added that Moscow reserves the right to use its arsenal against military installations of countries that allow kyiv to use its missiles to hit Russian territory.
“We have seen this rhetoric before,” said the Pentagon spokeswoman, highlighting that the escalation began with the invasion in 2022 and that therefore there are about 50 countries helping Ukraine with its war needs.
(With information from EFE)
