The recent attack on the Dnieper River was a wake-up call that could have nuclear implications. Even if the missile used was not an intercontinental ballistic missile, its characteristics and the message Russia is trying to convey are of serious concern.
According to Fabian Hoffmann, a doctoral student at the Oslo Nuclear Project, the main difference between intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and others is their range. However, it is not only this that is critically important, but also the payload that the missile is able to deliver.
The missile that hit the Dnieper likely had a MIRV (Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicle) payload, a technology that allows it to carry multiple warheads to simultaneously strike different targets. MIRV was created during the Cold War to increase the effectiveness of nuclear weapons, and no conventional Russian missile system has this capability.
“Regardless of whether the missile was intercontinental, Putin's message is a clear allusion to a nuclear threat,” Hoffmann emphasized in an interview with CNN.
This strike is aimed not only at destroying infrastructure, but also at increasing pressure on Ukraine and its allies. Russia has demonstrated its readiness to use any means of intimidation, including direct hints at the possibility of using nuclear weapons.
The international community should pay attention to such signals. It is important not only to respond to the Kremlin's military aggression, but also to take measures to prevent further escalation, which could have catastrophic consequences.
