Ukraine claims Russia launched the first ICBM of the war towards the eastern part of its country overnight.

But what does that mean – and why could it be an indication of something much larger?

What is an ICBM?

ICBM stands for an intercontinental ballistic missile.

They have a range of at least 3,400 miles and can carry either nuclear or non-nuclear weight.

Are they being used in the Ukraine-Russia war?

Until today, ICBMs were thought not to have been used in the war so far because weapons with such long ranges have not been required in this regional conflict.

But Ukraine claimed on Thursday that Russia had launched an ICBM at it for the first time, launched from the Caspian Sea region of Astrakhan in southern Russia and hitting the eastern city of Dnipro.

Kyiv said it had not received any information on casualties and did not state what kind of model it thought the missile was.

The Ukrainian air force also claimed Moscow used seven cruise missiles alongside the ICBM – and that it shot down six of them.

However, a Western official told NBC News that it was not an ICBM but a ballistic missile.

The Kremlin has not responded to the accusations.

Why might ICBMs be used now?

The war has reached a new phase over the last few weeks after Russia recruited North Korean soldiers to fight on its behalf.

As a response, the UK and the US gave their approval for Ukraine to use their long-range missiles against Russia.

Kyiv launched the US weapons towards Russia for the first time on Tuesday and used the UK equivalents on Wednesday.

The US and the UK have not officially confirmed they gave permission for their long-range weapons to use to attack Russia to avoid giving Vladimir Putin any heads-up.

However, it has been widely reported that Kyiv now has the go-ahead.

Moscow has long claimed giving Ukraine the green light on those weapons would escalate the war.

Putin even lowered the threshold for using its nuclear arsenal earlier this week, seemingly in response to the US actions.

It means Moscow can now launch a nuclear strike if it comes under attack from a non-nuclear country, like Ukraine, that is supported by a nuclear state like America or the UK.

Why is this a big deal?

If these reports are true and an ICBM was used, it could suggest Putin was following up on the nuclear threats he has been making for the last two years.

When asked about the ICBMs, PM Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said: “The reports coming out of Ukraine overnight are deeply concerning. 

“If true, clearly this would be another example of depraved, reckless and escalatory behaviour from Russia and only strengthens our resolve.”

However, nuclear forces expert Pavel Podvig wrote on social media platform Bluesky that using such a missile “in a conventional role does not make a lot of sense because of their relatively low accuracy and high cost. But this kind of a strike might have a value as a signal.”

He continued: “I would urge people to keep calm, not assume automatically that “intercontinental” is something inherently and immediately dangerous.

“But it should be taken seriously. Everyone should be cautious about making claims or sending and interpreting signals.”