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By Maya Mehrara
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A retired U.S. general in Kyiv, Ukraine, said there is "tremendous" fear in the city of Russia's retaliation after it fired what Ukraine has said is an intercontinental ballistic missile at Dnipro, according to CNN.
Retired U.S. Major General Mark MacCarley spoke to the news outlet in a video interview. He described the atmosphere in the Ukrainian capital and the population's fears of attacks on Kyiv following Russia's strike today.
MacCarley said: "The sirens ultimately ended, but there was still a rush to the basements and to the concrete parking lots because it just creates a tremendous amount of fear. And that's what the Russians wanted, fear among those who are living and surviving."
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The retired U.S. general added: "You could say that Russia shot first at Dnipro as a statement suggesting that if Ukraine does not back away from the use of, let's say, the newly provided ATACMS [longer-range American missiles] from the U.S. and the Storm Shadows from Britain, that Russia will use the same longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile and hit Kyiv."
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Newsweek emailed the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for comment.
In a statement to Newsweek, MacCarley said, "The announced threat of Russia to retaliate against Ukraine for its use of U.S. ATACMS and British Storm Shadow longer range tactical missiles that can and have within the last few days penetrated into Russian territory has caused palpable concern, if not fear, among those that I have interviewed, here in Kyiv, that the lethality of this war and the risk to Ukraine's population and infrastructure have substantially escalated. Today, Russian did indeed retaliate with an ICBM, striking Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth largest city."
The Ukrainian Air Force said today that Russia has fired an intercontinental ballistic missile at the city in central Ukraine, the first ICBM since the war began in 2022, from the region of Astrakhan in southern Russia.
Ukraine's Airforce reportedly intercepted six of the seven Kh-101 cruise missiles during the attack, which took place during the night.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a statement in response to the attack on Dnipro on X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote: "Today, our insane neighbor has once again revealed its true nature—its disdain for dignity, freedom, and human life itself. And, most of all, its fear. Fear so overwhelming that it unleashes missile after missile, scouring the globe for more weapons—whether from Iran or North Korea.
"Today, it was a new Russian missile. Its speed and altitude suggest intercontinental ballistic capabilities. Investigations are ongoing."
Zelensky continued: "It's clear that Putin is using Ukraine as a testing ground. It's also clear that he is terrified of normal life next to him. A life where people live with dignity. A country that wants to be free and has the right to be independent. Putin will do anything to keep his neighbor from slipping out of his grasp.
"And I thank every Ukrainian—men and women alike—who defend Ukraine from this evil with resilience, bravery, and strength. With dignity. Dignity. It's one of the defining words for Ukraine. And it's a word that will likely never again be spoken about Russia."
This attack followed Ukraine's firing of long-range ATACMS missiles into Russia on November 19, striking a munitions storage facility near the city of Karachev in Bryansk Oblast.
Ukraine's launch of U.S.-made ATACMS missiles marked the first attack in which they used the long-range missiles following President Joe Biden's authorization of Ukraine's use of such weapons to conduct deep strikes in Russia.
Ukraine also launched Storm Shadow missiles made by the U.K. and France into Kursk today, reportedly intending to strike a Russian armed forces command center located within the Russian presidential directorate's sanitarium at the Maryino Estate, according to The Moscow Times.
These attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new nuclear doctrine into law on November 19. It says that Russian nuclear deterrence will be exercised "against a potential enemy" and views nuclear weapon use as an "extreme measure."
"The missile strike on Dnipro was demonstrative rather than destructive, and it has left Putin in an awkward position of posturing for his own delight, like a body-builder in front of a mirror," Pavel Baev, a research professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo told Newsweek. "Ukrainian strikes with the ATACMs and Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles are certain to continue, but the Russian response was a one-off performance. Another Oreshnik missile may be assembled from various parts (it is really an assemblage) in coming weeks, but there is definitely no industrial capacity for the ordered serial production."
"Russia has not gained—and cannot possibly—an escalation control, and NATO has a few weeks to measure carefully the proper sequence of measures aimed at reinforcing the credibility of deterrence. In January, we may see a rather different exchange of messages and demonstrations, because deterrence remain a mind game first and foremost, and the mindset of the Trump administration remains an enigma."
After being commissioned in the USAR in 1983, MacCarley served 32 years in the U.S. armed forces in numerous roles but retired in 2015 as the deputy chief of staff for the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, according to the Association of the United States Army.
MacCarley is also the founder of MacCarley & Rosen PLC, a law firm based in California that aids clients with international business matters, law enforcement litigation, real estate, intellectual property, and more.
He is also a consultant to the Republic of Armenia National Defense Research University and the Ukrainian National Guard, according to Yahoo News.
MacCarley has also previously driven a Jeep from Edinburgh, Scotland, to Ukraine to deliver supplies to the 151st fire support battalion TRO with Sunflower Scotland, a Scottish charity supporting Ukraine.
Update 11/21/2024, 10:29 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from MacCarley.
Update 11/28/2024, 11:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include a comment from Pavel Baev.
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