A journalist for the German tabloid Bild has suggested that the new Russian ballistic missile that struck the city of Dnipro on 21 November was a test version of the RS-26 missile, and contained no explosives.

The new design is based on the previous RS-26 Rubezh ballistic missile, according to the Pentagon. Readers can get up to speed on what else is already known about the missile strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro in The War Zone‘s initial reporting here.

The Russian missile at the center of an unprecedented strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro earlier today has been identified by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin as an alleged new weapon, named Oreshnik.

Russian troops launched an intercontinental ballistic missile RS-26 Rubezh in a morning attack on the city of Dnipro on 21 November. Source: Ukrainska Pravda Details: The missile's main purpose is to deliver nuclear warheads.

A Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that Ukraine says was fired at the city of Dnipro on Thursday was an RS-26 Rubezh, Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda media outlet reported, citing anonymous sources.

Investigations are underway, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday, adding the "characteristics" indicated it was an ICBM. Vladimir Putin later said it was a hypersonic missile.

The Ukrainian Air Force claims that Russia launched a conventionally armed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) today at the city of Dnipro, in the center of the country. In either case, the act is unprecedented for the war in Ukraine and it would mark the first use of either one of these types of weapons in combat anywhere.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday told the Ministry of Defense leadership that his country "will continue testing the latest system," which is apparently capable of carrying a nuclear weapon.