Kyiv: Russia Launches Intercontinental Ballistic Missile in Attack on Ukraine

Local residents take shelter in a metro station during an air strike alarm in Kyiv, on November 20, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP)
Local residents take shelter in a metro station during an air strike alarm in Kyiv, on November 20, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP)
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Kyiv: Russia Launches Intercontinental Ballistic Missile in Attack on Ukraine

Local residents take shelter in a metro station during an air strike alarm in Kyiv, on November 20, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP)
Local residents take shelter in a metro station during an air strike alarm in Kyiv, on November 20, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP)

Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from its southern Astrakhan region during a morning attack on Ukraine on Thursday, Kyiv's air force said, the first time Russia has used such a powerful, long-range missile during the war.

The strike comes after Ukraine used US and British missiles to strike targets inside Russia this week, something Moscow had warned for months would be seen as a major escalation.

The Russian attack targeted enterprises and critical infrastructure in the central-eastern city of Dnipro, the air force said, at a time of escalating moves in the 33-month-old war launched by Russia in Ukraine.

According to Reuters, it was unclear from the statement what the intercontinental ballistic missile targeted and whether it caused any damage.

The missiles have a range of thousands of kilometres and can be used for delivering nuclear warheads, though they can also have conventional warheads.

Ukrainian air defences shot down six Kh-101 cruise missiles during the attack.

"In particular, an intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation," the air force said, detailing types of weapon used in the attack.

It did not say what kind of intercontinental ballistic missile was fired.



Germany Arrests a Lebanese Man Accused of Being a Member of Hezbollah

Mourners gather during the funeral of five Hezbollah fighters, who were killed during hostilities with Israeli forces, in the village Al-Sawana, southern Lebanon 03 December 2024. (EPA)
Mourners gather during the funeral of five Hezbollah fighters, who were killed during hostilities with Israeli forces, in the village Al-Sawana, southern Lebanon 03 December 2024. (EPA)
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Germany Arrests a Lebanese Man Accused of Being a Member of Hezbollah

Mourners gather during the funeral of five Hezbollah fighters, who were killed during hostilities with Israeli forces, in the village Al-Sawana, southern Lebanon 03 December 2024. (EPA)
Mourners gather during the funeral of five Hezbollah fighters, who were killed during hostilities with Israeli forces, in the village Al-Sawana, southern Lebanon 03 December 2024. (EPA)

German authorities have arrested a Lebanese man accused of being a member of Hezbollah and working for groups controlled by the organization in Germany.

Federal prosecutors said the suspect, identified only as Fadel R. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested in the Hannover region on Tuesday. The man is suspected of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and is not accused of direct involvement in any violence.

Prosecutors said he joined Hezbollah in the summer of 2008 or earlier and took part in leadership training courses in Lebanon. From 2009, he allegedly had leadership duties in two groups controlled by Hezbollah in the Hannover area, organizing appearances by preachers close to the party.

According to prosecutors, he was briefly a correspondent for a Hezbollah media outlet in 2017 and was tasked with coordinating building work at a mosque.

Germany is a staunch ally of Israel. It is also home to a Lebanese immigrant community of more than 100,000.