After hours of speculation about what exactly Russia used in its attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro this morning, we arrived at an answer when President Vladimir Putin spoke in a surprise address to the nation.
On Russian state television, Putin confirmed that Moscow had used a “new” intermediate-range ballistic missile, capable of attacking targets at a speed of “2.5-3 km per second”.
This is different from what Ukraine had claimed earlier, as its president and foreign ministry alleged the attack was carried out by an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). US officials threw cold water on those claims throughout the day.
Had it been confirmed, it would’ve marked the first use of an ICBM in the war.
The Russian president also offered a warning to the West, saying that Moscow was “ready for any developments”, adding that today’s strike was carried out in response to Ukraine’s use of “American and British long-range weaponry”.
The BBC’s Paul Adams spoke with people in Ukraine about how the West – in particular America – figures in to the ongoing war with Russia, as they contemplate how to stem Moscow’s advance whilst preparing for Donald Trump.
