Ukraine claimed that Russia is planning to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on the country overnight with the intent to “pressure and intimidate” the country, as well as its Western partners.
A statement on Sunday by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (HUR) on Telegram claimed that Moscow planned the "training and combat" launch of an RS-24 Yars ICBM from a site near the city of Yekaterinburg in Russia’s Sverdlovsk region.
Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city and situated east of the Ural Mountains dividing Europe and Asia, is located almost 1,600 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.
A Türkiye-mediated meeting in Istanbul saw rare progress in Russia-Ukraine peace efforts, with both sides agreeing to a major prisoner swap, as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called it “an important day for world peace.”
The HUR claimed the strike, planned for the night connecting Sunday and Monday, has been ordered to “demonstratively pressure and intimidate Ukraine, as well as the EU and NATO member states.”
It further claimed that the range of the missile is over 10,000 kilometres.
Russian authorities have not immediately commented on Ukraine’s claims.
Russian investment envoy Kirill A. Dmitriev says the Türkiye-brokered talks yielded "largest POW exchange" and "ceasefire options that may work".
