In a week of escalating tensions, the Ukrainian military has accused Russia of firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Ukraine for the first time. While an ICBM is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, the attack on Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region on Thursday morning was confirmed to be non-nuclear.
According to a senior analyst specializing in strategic policy, the Russians removed the nuclear warheads from the missile before launching it, possibly equipping it with a conventional warhead or launching it as an inert missile. The use of this powerful long-range weapon is believed to be a message directed at Ukraine's Western allies, following Ukraine's recent use of American ATACMS and British-French-made Storm Shadow missiles against Russia.
The analyst suggested that Russia's actions are an attempt to intimidate the West into backing down, signaling that the use of such missiles challenges Russia's critical interests. However, it is emphasized that Ukraine and its Western allies should not yield to this pressure.
It is crucial not to back down in the face of such provocations, as giving in to implicit nuclear threats could embolden Russia to repeat such actions in the future. The analyst warned that if the West retreats now, Russia may continue to escalate tensions through similar aggressive maneuvers.
The recent exchange of missile strikes between Russia and Ukraine underscores the fragile state of relations between the two countries and the broader implications for international security. The situation remains fluid, with both sides closely monitoring each other's actions as the conflict continues to unfold.
