The Pentagon says the Oreshnik is a tweak of Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh missile, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that has been tested since 2011.

Russia’s new ballistic missile flies on a high arc out of Earth’s atmosphere and releases multiple high-speed projectiles, making it challenging but not impossible to intercept

Russia named the missile the Oreshnik, or hazel tree, and said it is impossible to intercept it with air defenses.

President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia will continue to test and start mass-producing the hypersonic ballistic missile that it fired at Ukraine Thursday.

Vladimir Putin has claimed Moscow launched a new hypersonic ballistic missile against Ukraine in response to strikes by Kyiv inside Russia using UK and US long-range missiles.

This is the first time Russia has used its so-called Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile in combat. The launch also serves as a warning to the West.

NATO members on Tuesday reaffirmed their support for Ukraine during talks with the country's officials held in response to Russia's launch of an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile last week.

The escalatory attack comes after Ukraine reportedly used US and UK long range missiles to strike targets inside Russia

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has announced that the Russian attack on the city of Dnipro with an Oreshnik experimental ballistic missile will be discussed at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Wednesday,