The launch intercontinental missile from Russia to Ukraine “would be a clear escalation” on the part of Vladimir Putin, a representative of the European Commission estimated today.

“We are of course following the information according to which Russia used an intercontinental ballistic missile against one or more targets in Ukraine (…) It is obvious that such an attack would constitute a new escalation on the part of (Vladimir) Putin”said Peter Stano.

Stano further added that “Such attacks signal a clear escalation. Putin is playing the nuclear gamble again.”

Finally, note that “every step that Putin takes in this illegal attack against the Ukrainian people is a message to Ukrainians, Europeans, Americans and the entire international community that he is an unpredictable assailant who is wanted for possible war crimes by the International Criminal Court Court”.

Two people were injured in what the Ukrainian Air Force said was Russia’s attack this morning on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with nine missiles, including an intercontinental ballistic missile, regional authorities said. The attack also caused minor property damage.

The intercontinental ballistic missile did not carry a nuclear warhead, a Ukrainian Air Force source told AFP. “It is obvious” that the missile did not carry a nuclear warhead, given the limited scale of the damage, the source said.

Responding to a question about the announcement by the Ukrainian Air Force, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred reporters to the Russian Defense Ministry.

It is noted that earlier Western official denied the Ukrainian claims, saying it was ballistic but not intercontinental the missile launched by Moscow.