Ukrainian media reported that Russia attacked Ukraine for the first time with an intercontinental ballistic missile, hitting the Pivdenmash military plant in the city of Dnipro (Updated 21 November at 02:35 p.m.).
Media outlets said that it was Russia’s Rubezh missile, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) did not confirm the information. The air defence forces reportedly failed to shoot down the missile.
Ukrainian authorities also did not officially confirm the strike on the Pivdenmash, but referred to “damage to an industrial facility.” The Pivdenmash was the Soviet Union’s leading facility for the production of intercontinental ballistic missiles, and now President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said that Ukraine intends to launch its own mass production of such missiles.
Russia has not deployed such weapons against Ukraine before. The targeting of one of Ukraine’s key military plants sends a signal to the Ukrainian authorities that missiles with more destructive warheads may be launched next, experts say.
Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a nuclear doctrine update in response to Biden’s authorisation for Ukraine to pound US long-range ATACMS missiles deep into Russia.
Footage shows a missile disintegrating into 6 warheads, with each breaking up into 6 more, totalling 36 submunitions. Experts say that such a missile must be shot down in advance, before it unfolds and drops the submunitions, otherwise it will complicate air defence efforts.
The strike with an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a non-nuclear warhead could be a response to a more aggressive NATO policy and Biden’s recent decision. Geopolitical experts say the Biden administration is seeking to worsen US President-elect Donald Trump’s negotiating position, preventing him from fulfilling his promise to resolve the military conflict in Ukraine.
Under international treaties, countries possessing intercontinental ballistic missiles are obliged to notify others of launches. The recent unrest at foreign embassies was probably related to the launch, as it was spotted instantly. The RS-26 Rubezh can strike targets up to 6,000 kilometres away, reaching the UK and beyond.
