What we know

• Ukraine’s air force says Russia has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from its territory as part of an attack on Thursday morning
• It’s the first time Moscow has used such a weapon in the war. Ukraine’s statement does not make clear what the intercontinental ballistic missile targeted and whether it caused any damage
• It comes after Ukraine fired UK supplies long-range Storm Shadow missiles at targets within Russia for the first time
• The UK government hasn’t commented on the reports but the defence secretary says “Ukraine’s action on the battlefield speaks for itself”  

What is an intercontinental ballistic missile

Ballistic missiles are capable of travelling thousands of kilometres from the area they are launched.

There are four types of ballistic missiles – short-range, medium-range, intermediate-range and long-range.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) – the category with the longest range – can travel more than 5,500 km (3,418 miles).

That means ICBMs can strike targets virtually anywhere in the world.

ICBMs can transport conventional weapons but also carry nuclear warheads, they are powered by rockets initially and then follow an unpowered trajectory toward their targets.

Ballistic missiles are different from cruise missiles, which travel with the use of jet engines like those used to power planes.

Cruise missiles, like the British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles Ukraine fired at Russia yesterday, travel shorter distances but can be manually guided to their target.

Poland scrambles aircrafts during Ukraine strikes

Poland deployed its own fighter jets – and Nato aircraft – to protect its airspace during Russian strikes on Ukraine.

“The on-duty fighter pairs were scrambled, and the ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems reached the highest state of readiness,” the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command wrote on X.

Poland has repeatedly scrambled aircrafts during Russian strikes on Ukraine over the course of the war.