Kiev’s air force announced Thursday (November 21) that Russia had attacked Ukraine with intercontinental ballistic missiles. It was the first time since Moscow’s war with Ukraine that Russia had employed such weapons, which are more potent, can carry nuclear bombs, and can strike targets thousands of kilometres away.

Reuters Moscow utilised the weapons, according to Kiev’s air force, after attacking Russia with American and British-made missiles. The usage of such weapons has been warned of in the past. However, the 33-month-old conflict will take a new turn in the use of these weapons in spite of the warnings.

Russia did not immediately respond to the accusations made by the Ukrainian air force. Strategic weapons like intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are made to carry nuclear weapons. Ukraine is unsure of the kind of warhead it deployed in the missile, though. Additionally, Kiev was unsure if the weapon was nuclear.

In the central-eastern city of Dnipro, the Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have undertaken a missile strike that targeted significant commercial and industrial infrastructure. Whether any damage had been done was not stated by the air force. But according to regional governor Sehri Lysak, a commercial area was damaged and burned by the missile hit. There were two injuries.

In addition, Russia launched seven Kh-101 cruise missiles and a Kinzhal hypersonic missile. Six of them were shot down, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.