Vladimir Putin fired the ‘secret’ Novator ground-launched 9M729 missile in Ukraine, threatening a new nuclear arms race.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia has been the weapon, the secret development of which prompted Donald Trump to walk out on a nuclear arms control pact with the Kremlin in his first term.
His comments are the first confirmation that Russia deployed the 9M729 missile in combat – either in Ukraine or anywhere else.
He warned: ‘Russia’s use of the INF-banned 9M729 against Ukraine in the past months demonstrates Putin’s disrespect to the US and president Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.’
The missile has a range of about 1,550 miles and can carry either a nuclear or a conventional warhead, according to the Missile Threat website.
This means it can reach most Nato nations in Europe, including the UK.
It is understood that Russia has fired the missile at Ukraine 23 times since August, according to a second senior source cited by Reuters.
Attacks began on August 21 – less than a week after a Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.
Ukraine also recorded two launches of the 9M729 by Russia in 2022.
Russia has various missiles that can reach across Ukraine, including the sea-launched Kalibr and air-launched Kh-101.
Jeffrey Lewis, distinguished scholar of Global Security at Middlebury College, said the 9M729 offers something slightly different.
He added: ‘This gives them slightly different attack axes, which is difficult for air defences, and it increases the pool of missiles that are available to the Russians.’
The 9M729 led the US to quit the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019.
It was claimed that it is in breach of the treaty and could fly beyond its limit of 310 miles – a major issue for European security. Russia denied this.
Use of the 9M729 expands the Kremlin’s arsenal of long-range weapons for striking Ukraine and fits its threatening pattern of it sending signals towards Europe as Trump seeks a peace settlement, Western military analysts said.
William Alberque, a senior adjunct fellow at the Pacific Forum think tank, said the 9M729 was designed to hit targets in Europe, adding: ‘I think Putin is trying to ramp up pressure as part of the negotiations.’
Russia tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile last week, and on Wednesday said it had tested a nuclear-powered torpedo named Poseidon.
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