Russia Launches Intercontinental Ballistic Missile at Ukraine in Escalating Attack

Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Ukraine early on Thursday, November 21, marking a significant escalation in its ongoing assault on the country. This is the first time Russia has used an ICBM in the conflict since the full-scale invasion began.

The attack, which included the ICBM launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, also involved a Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile fired from a MiG-31K jet in the Tambov region, and seven Kh-101 cruise missiles launched by Tu-95MS bombers near the Volgograd region. The missiles targeted enterprises and critical infrastructure in the city of Dnipro, among other areas.

The assault triggered air alerts across Ukraine at 5:05 AM, with explosions reported in Dnipro around 7:15 AM. The local authorities confirmed that an industrial facility and critical infrastructure sustained heavy damage, and fires broke out. Emergency power outages were implemented in several regions, including Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Sumy, Zhytomyr, and Donetsk, to stabilize the energy grid.

Ukraine’s air defense forces successfully intercepted six of the Kh-101 cruise missiles during the nighttime engagement. However, the impact of the ICBM and other missiles resulted in significant damage, including the destruction of a boiler room and smashed windows at a rehabilitation center for the disabled in Dnipro.

The US Embassy in Kyiv had warned American citizens on November 20 about a potential missile strike, citing specific information regarding the threat. This warning followed heightened tensions after Ukraine reportedly used US-supplied ATACMS long-range missiles against a Russian ammunition depot.