KYIV — Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile during an attack on Ukraine on Thursday (Nov 21), Kyiv's air force said, in the first known use in the war of such a powerful, nuclear-capable weapon with a range of thousands of kilometres.

The air force reported the launch after Ukraine fired US and British missiles at targets inside Russia this week, despite warnings by Moscow that it would see such action as a major escalation in the 33-month-old war.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, did not immediately comment on the air force statement.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are strategic weapons designed to deliver nuclear warheads and are an important part of Russia's nuclear deterrent. The Ukrainians did not specify what kind of warhead the missile had or what type of missile it was. There was no suggestion it was nuclear-armed.

The Russian missile attack targeted enterprises and critical infrastructure in the central-eastern city of Dnipro, the air force said.

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