Some Ukrainian military officials are insisting that the missile used by Russia during recent attacks was indeed the RS-26 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
The Financial Times has cited officials, who said that Russia used an RS-26 ICBM in an attack, which has a range of up to 6,000 kilometers.
The RS-26 ballistic missile is typically designed for strategic deterrence. Ukrainian officials claim that this latest missile strike demonstrates Russia’s willingness to deploy high-level strategic assets in conventional warfare scenarios, raising the stakes in the already tense conflict.
“The missile fragments recovered from the impact site bear characteristics consistent with the RS-26,” said a Ukrainian military official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that Russia had conducted a strike using a new Oreshnik ballistic missile with a non-nuclear hypersonic warhead.
According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the RS-26 is a solid-fueled, road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Although classified as an ICBM under the New START Treaty, the RS-26 was tested with heavier payloads at ranges below 5,500 km in May 2012.
The deployment of long-range missiles like the RS-26 may prompt discussions on how to address evolving threats in the region and could influence future military aid strategies.