US believes Russia's attack in Ukraine showcased new missile

A view shows a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipro, Ukraine November 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mykola Synelnykov

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States believes that Russia fired a never-before-fielded intermediate-range ballistic missile on Thursday in its attack on Ukraine, an escalation that analysts say could have implications for European missile defense.

The U.S. military said the Russian missile's design was based on the design of Russia's longer-range RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The new missile was experimental and Russia likely possessed only a handful of them, officials said.