'World Must Respond': Ukraine's Zelenskyy Calls Russian Strike 'Clear Escalation' | Updates

Today, Putin admitted to taking a second step this year toward escalating and expanding this war. A new ballistic missile was used. Putin struck our city of Dnipro, one of Ukraine’s largest cities. This is a clear and severe escalation in the scale and brutality of this war—a…— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 21, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow struck a Ukrainian military facility with a new medium-range, hypersonic ballistic missile known as “Oreshnik" (the hazel) and warned that more could follow. He assured that civilians would be warned ahead of further strikes with such weapons.

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy claimed that Russian forces launched an intercontinental ballistic missile to target one of their largest cities of Dnipro, contradicting Putin’s claim.

ALSO READ: What Is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Russia Fired At Ukraine?

Moscow’s attack comes after Ukraine used US and UK-made missiles to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory this week, escalating the conflict that has already lasted 1,000 days.

Putin said that after approval from the administration of President Joe Biden, Ukraine struck Russia with six US-made ATACMS on November 19 and with British ‘Storm Shadow’ missiles and US-made HIMARS on November 21.

“From that moment, a regional conflict in Ukraine previously provoked by the West has acquired elements of a global character," Putin said in an address to the nation carried by state television in Moscow.

China Reacts As Conflict Grows

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensified by firing long-range and middle-range missiles, China urged both the parties involved to remain “calm" and exercise “restraint" during the time.

“China’s stance of encouraging all parties to de-escalate the situation and commit to a political resolution of the Ukraine crisis remains unchanged. China will continue to play a constructive role in this regard," a senior Chinese official said.

It comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, crossed 1,000 days and currently remains at a volatile juncture with increased military strikes and geopolitical situation.

November 22, 2024, 08:38 IST