Sat Nov 23 09:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Russia Launches Experimental Missile at Ukraine in Retaliation for Western Aid
**KYIV, UKRAINE** – Russia launched an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) at Ukraine on Thursday, according to the Pentagon and multiple sources. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed the attack, framing it as a direct response to the U.S. and U.K.’s approval of Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range missiles to strike Russian territory.
While Putin claimed the missile, which he said traveled at Mach 10, poses a significant challenge to Western air defense systems, U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News that it was not hypersonic. The Pentagon’s deputy spokesperson, Sabrina Singh, stated that the missile was based on one of Russia’s ICBM models and was being used in combat for the first time. She emphasized that the U.S. was notified beforehand via established communication channels, and that the incident has not prompted changes to the U.S.’s nuclear posture.
The attack follows Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) against a military arsenal in the Bryansk region of Russia. Putin stated that Russia’s actions were a direct response to this, adding that future missile deployments would depend on the actions of the U.S. and its satellites. He also claimed that Russia would warn Ukrainian citizens before any such future attacks, despite images suggesting civilian infrastructure was damaged in Thursday’s strike.
The incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, with the Pentagon highlighting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its recruitment of North Korean soldiers as key factors. The ongoing situation continues to be closely monitored by international observers.
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