The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from the southern region of Astrakhan in an early morning strike on Ukraine. The intercontinental missile did not carry a nuclear warhead, Kiev military sources said.

This is the first time Russia has used such a powerful and long-range missile since the beginning of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

For its part, Ukraine has used US and British missiles (notably Storm Shadows) to strike targets inside Russia, an action that Moscow warned would be seen as a serious escalation.

According to the Air Force, the Russian attack targeted businesses and infrastructure in the central-eastern city of Dnipro.

(Online Union)