The latest on Russia’s war in Ukraine

 

Can Ukraine’s air defenses repel ICBM attacks?

From CNN’s Brad Lendon

Ukraine has batteries of the Patriot missile defense system supplied by the United States and Germany that are capable of intercepting incoming ballistic missile warheads, according to the Missile Threat Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Patriot system is designed to engage incoming warheads either with an exploding warhead of their own, or with kinetic interceptors – so-called “hit-to-kill” technology, which destroys the incoming warhead by striking it directly.

Patriot interceptors have a vertical range of about 20 kilometers (12 miles) and defend an area of about 15 to 20 kilometers around the battery, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Kyiv reported its armed forces have successfully used the Patriot system to intercept incoming Russian Kinzhal ballistic missiles in 2023. But the Kinzhal is an air-launched ballistic missile, fired from MiG-fighter jets and is an easier target than a warhead from an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Remember: Ukraine has only a limited number of Patriot missile defense systems and batteries. Some cities, like the capital Kyiv, enjoy greater protection than others.

 

23 min ago

Dnipro has been a point of interest for Russia throughout the war. Here's why

From CNN's Ivana Kottasová

The Dnipropetrovsk region has been a frequent target of Russian bombardment in recent months.

It borders the partially occupied Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions and has become a huge hub for people who have fled areas that are now under Russian control.

The region is now home to more than 400,000 internally displaced people. Dnipro, the fourth largest city in Ukraine, is an important center of life in the eastern part of the country.

It is relatively close to the frontlines, yet still fairly well protected by air defenses. That, plus its transportation infrastructure links to the rest of the country make the city a key hub in Ukraine’s war effort.

 

1 hr 5 min ago

Russia reports Ukrainian drone attacks in two regions, and air sirens activated in a third

From CNN’s Kosta Gak and Christian Edwards

Ukraine has launched drones at three regions in Western Russia, according to local Russian officials and the country’s Defense Ministry.

The Russian Defense Ministry said air defense systems had “intercepted and destroyed” two Ukrainian drones over the Rostov and Volgograd regions in an attack on Thursday.

The governor of Astrakhan also announced that an air alert had been activated in the northern parts of the region. The reports of air sirens in Astrakhan come after Ukraine’s military accused Russia of firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from the region early Thursday.

 

51 min ago

Russia firing at Dnipro could be a warning that it can also reach Kyiv, retired US Major General says

From CNN’s Catherine Nicholls

US Major General Mark MacCarley 

CNN

Russia’s choice to attack Dnipro could be a warning that it can also target the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv, retired US Major General Mark MacCarley told CNN Thursday.

“You could say that Russia shot first at Dnipro as a statement suggesting that if Ukraine does not back away from the use of, let’s say, the newly provided ATACMS (longer-range American missiles) from the US and the storm shadows from Britain, that Russia will use the same longer range intercontinental ballistic missile and hit Kyiv,” he told CNN.

Ukraine fired missiles made by the US and Britain into Russia for the first time this week.

MacCarley, who was speaking from Kyiv, said that there were sirens in the city in the early morning that corresponded to the launch of the possible intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

“The sirens ultimately ended, but there was still a rush to the basements and to the concrete parking lots because it just creates a tremendous amount of fear,” he said. “And that’s what the Russians wanted, fear amongst those who are living and surviving.”

 

1 hr 21 min ago

Western official says missile used in Ukraine attack was not an ICBM

From CNN’s Haley Britzky in Laos

A Western official has said that the missile launched by Russia as part of an attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro was a ballistic missile, but not an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The official, briefing reporters on the sidelines of a summit of Asian nations’ defense ministers in Laos on Thursday, declined to further characterize the missile, saying its impact was still being assessed.

The reason for the discrepancy with the Ukrainian military on the description of the missile was not immediately clear.

The firing of an ICBM – which has a significantly longer range than other types of ballistic missiles – could represent the use of a new type of missile by Russia in the conflict with Ukraine, and would be a significant escalation.

 

42 min ago

Ukraine accuses Russia of launching an intercontinental missile at Dnipro. Here's what we know

From CNN staff

Ukraine’s military accused Russia of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday, though a Western official has told reporters otherwise, and the Kremlin declined to comment.

This comes in a week of creeping escalation in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Here’s what we know:

• Ukrainian allegations: Ukraine’s air force accused Russia of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile in an attack on the city of Dnipro on Thursday morning. CNN has not been able to verify the claim.

• A Western rebuttal: A Western official has told reporters that the missile launched by Russia was a ballistic missile, but not an ICBM. The official declined to further characterize the missile, saying that its impact was still being assessed.

• Russia stays silent: The Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Kyiv’s accusation on Thursday morning. Peskov said he had “nothing to say” and referred reporters to the Russian military when asked about the missile.

• A show of force: If Russia did indeed use an ICBM in its attack, it could be a message to the West that it has greater capabilities than previously displayed. This week has seen significant military operations and policy changes in both Ukraine and Russia, including both US and British-made missiles being fired into Russia by Ukraine. This prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to update Russia’s nuclear doctrine — in a nuanced way, but still updating its policy to lower the threshold for use.

• A massive attack: Russia was “massively attacking” the Dnipropetrovsk region on Thursday morning, the head of the Ukrainian region’s military administration said. Two people were injured after houses were damaged, and a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities was also damaged in the attack, Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram. There were no reported casualties.