Western Official Refutes Ukraine’s ICBM Claim: ‘It Was a Ballistic Missile’

A Western official denied Ukraine’s claim on November 21 that Russia had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from its Astrakhan region. The official clarified that the missile was actually a ballistic missile aimed at Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine.

The missile strike may be in response to Ukraine’s recent use of US and British missiles to target Russian positions. Moscow had previously warned that using American missiles to strike within Russian territory would be considered a significant escalation.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian attack focused on critical infrastructure and businesses in Dnipro, a city in central-eastern Ukraine. While the Air Force described the missile as an ICBM launched from Astrakhan, they did not specify the exact type of missile. The Air Force claimed to have intercepted six Russian Kh-101 cruise missiles but did not provide details on whether the ICBM was also intercepted.

The regional head of Dnipro, Sergiy Lysak, reported that Russian airstrikes caused damage to a rehabilitation center, homes, and an industrial enterprise. Two people were injured in the attack: a 57-year-old man was treated on-site, and a 42-year-old woman was hospitalized. Lysak also confirmed that a rehabilitation center for disabled people was damaged but with no injuries, and nine garages along with an industrial facility were affected. In nearby Kryvyi Rih, the strikes injured two others and caused significant damage to both an administrative building and residential properties.

ICBMs are long-range missiles capable of traveling over 5,500 kilometers (3,418 miles) and can strike targets worldwide. These missiles can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.