Thu Nov 21 10:46:23 UTC 2024: ## Russia Launches ICBM at Ukraine, Raising Nuclear Tensions
**KYIV, Ukraine (Nov. 21, 2024)** – Ukraine’s air force reported a Russian ICBM attack on the city of Dnipro overnight, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. This would be the first confirmed use of an ICBM by Russia in the war. While the Ukrainian military claims to have intercepted six of the eight missiles launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, the incident has sparked international concern. Two people were injured, and an industrial facility and a rehabilitation center sustained damage.
The attack follows Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine, signed just two days prior by President Vladimir Putin, which lowers the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. This move, coupled with the ICBM launch, has heightened fears of further escalation. The use of an ICBM, even without a nuclear payload, serves as a powerful demonstration of Russia’s military capabilities and its willingness to escalate the conflict.
The incident comes amid a series of retaliatory strikes. Ukraine launched several long-range missiles into Russia in recent days, including reported strikes using U.K.-made Storm Shadow missiles. Russia’s defense ministry confirmed intercepting these missiles, along with other Ukrainian ordnance. The presence of North Korean troops assisting Russia on the battlefield has further intensified the situation, prompting a shift in U.S. policy regarding the types of weapons supplied to Ukraine. President Putin has previously warned that allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-supplied weapons would be considered an act of war against NATO. The new nuclear doctrine allows for a potential nuclear response to conventional attacks supported by nuclear powers. While the doctrine is broadly worded, it leaves open the possibility of nuclear escalation.
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