Vladimir Putin has claimed Russia has tested a new intermediate range missile in a strike on Ukraine - and he warned he is prepared to use it again against the country's enemies.
In a nationwide address on television as he made his first appearance in nearly two weeks, the tyrant said today's strike was in response to Ukrainian strikes on the Russian territory with U.S. and British missiles earlier this week. Chillingly, he added Russia would issue advance warnings before firing on its enemies - to allow civilians to get to safety.
The new weapons, known as Oreshnik, attack at speeds of Mach 10 and travel around 3kms a second. He added not even the U.S would be capable of intercepting the Russian missiles.
He said in a statement: "I would like to inform the personnel of the Russian Armed Forces, the citizens of our country, our friends around the world, as well as those who continue to harbour illusions about the possibility of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia, about the events taking place today in the SVO zone, namely after the use of long-range weapons of Western manufacture on our territory."
The Russian President also said Moscow could strike the military installations of any country whose weapons were used against Russia. This can be seen as a threat against the UK, following reports of British-made Storm Shadow missile being fired in Kursk.
"We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow to use their weapons against our facilities," said Putin. "And in case of escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond resolutely in a mirror way."
Earlier, Ukraine claimed Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) overnight at one of its cities, but American officials said an initial U.S. assessment indicated the strike was carried out with an intermediate-range ballistic missile. Ukraine did not provide evidence an ICBM was used in the attack on the central city of Dnipro.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a missile used "matches the speed and altitude" of an ICBM. The Kremlin refused to comment on the strike.
In a statement Thursday on the Telegram messaging app, Ukraine's air force said an intercontinental ballistic missile was fired at Dnipro, along with eight other missiles, and that the Ukrainian military shot down six of them. Two people were wounded in the attack, according to officials.
The air force statement said it was launched from Russia's Astrakhan region, on the Caspian Sea. Zelensky said: "Today, our crazy neighbour once again showed what he really is - and how afraid he is."