Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that Russia’s attack on Ukraine with a new type of ballistic missile was a “clear and serious escalation of the scale and brutality of this war”.

Zelensky, in a post on X, said Putin’s confirmation of the attack on the city of Dnipro provided “even more evidence that Russia is not interested in peace.”

“The world must respond,” he wrote. “Right now, there is no strong reaction from the world”

In particular, the Ukrainian president said that “this is a clear and serious escalation of the scale and brutality of this war—a cynical violation of the UN Charter by Russia. Let me emphasize: this is already Russia’s second step towards escalation this year. The first was North Korea’s involvement in the war against Ukraine with a military contingent of at least 11,000 troops. Putin has taken both of these steps while ignoring all those calling for the war not to expand further. He ignores appeals from China, Brazil, European countries, the United States and others. Putin single-handedly started this war – a completely unprovoked war – and is doing everything to prolong it, now for more than a thousand days. The use of a ballistic missile against Ukraine today is further proof that Russia is not interested in peace.”