Eliot Wilson Eliot Wilson

Russia’s rumoured ICBM launch is raising the stakes in Ukraine

A Russian attack on the city of Dnipro earlier today included the use of an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The RS-26 Rubezh was reportedly launched from Astrakhan Oblast on the Caspian Sea, although some analysts remain sceptical. Russia has made no official comment, but it would be the first use of an ICBM in the conflict in Ukraine, representing a deliberate raising of the stakes and a clear signal to Kyiv’s allies.

Using an intercontinental ballistic missile to strike Ukraine is performative overkill

On Tuesday, which marked the 1,000th day of the war, Ukrainian forces launched American-supplied MGM-140 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles at an ammunition depot near Karachev in Bryansk Oblast, 70 miles inside Russia. This followed President Biden’s decision to remove restrictions on the use of the weapons. They were first fired in October last year but had previously been limited to use against targets at or near the Russian border.

Written by
Eliot Wilson

Eliot Wilson was a clerk in the House of Commons 2005-16, including on the Defence Committee. He is a member of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

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