Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that the recent attack on Ukraine involved a “medium-range missile without a nuclear warhead.”
This statement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially claimed that Russia had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a claim Putin denied.
Speaking on state television, Putin explained that the missile strike targeted Ukrainian military facilities. He said the attack was a response to the use of American and British-made long-range weapons, specifically mentioning the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and Storm Shadow missiles, which Ukraine deployed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Putin also noted that Russia had conducted a test of “one of the latest Russian medium-range missiles” during the operation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced the missile involved in Thursday’s attack on Ukraine as the “Oreshnik,” which translates to “hazelnut tree” in Russian.
Putin also asserted that current U.S. and European missile defense systems are incapable of intercepting this missile. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Russia alerted the United States 30 minutes before the launch using the automatic nonproliferation hotline.
Ukraine countered Putin’s claims, stating that the missile, which struck a base in Dnipro, exhibited characteristics—such as speed and altitude—that were more consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The fact that Putin himself clarified it was a medium-range missile rather than an ICBM suggests he is trying to avoid unnecessary tension with the U.S.
“Launching an ICBM would send a dangerous message to the United States, implying that a red line has been crossed,” a South Korean defense expert explained. “Putin’s remarks suggest a focus on the conflict with Ukraine, avoiding broader provocations.”
U.S. officials also confirmed that the missile used was not an ICBM. According to reports, the U.S. government identified it as a medium-range ballistic missile. In a press briefing, the U.S. Department of Defense described the missile as an “intermediate-range ballistic missile” (IRBM).
Sabrina Singh, Deputy Spokesperson for the Department of Defense, confirmed, “Russia launched an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile,” during a Thursday briefing at the Pentagon. She explained that the missile is based on the RS-26 Rubezh ICBM model. Singh also noted that the U.S. received a brief notification about the launch through nuclear risk reduction channels.
The Defense Department added that this was the first instance of such a weapon being used in the Ukrainian conflict. “This represents a new lethal capability on the battlefield,” Singh said. “We’re closely monitoring the situation, but the full impact is not yet clear.”