Russia has launched hypersonic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads at Ukraine in one of the first major retaliations since the devastating Operation Spider’s Web drone attack.

The covert Ukrainian mission took 18 months of planning and destroyed more than 40 Russian aircraft in one fell swoop, a third of the nation’s bomber fleet, according to Presiden tVolodymyr Zelensky.

But now Russia has hiot back by launching its ‘Dagger’ Kinzhal hypersonic missile at the Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv.

The strike is the first recorded use of the advanced missile system, which can travel at ten times the speed of sound, on the southern front since Russia launched its attempted invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Tuesday’s attack is reported to have disrupted critical infrastructure in the city of Mykolaiv, which sounded air raid sirens during the bombardment.

The Dagger is known for its use when targeting high-value assets such as critical infrastructure, navy vessels or supply depots. The weapon was first introduced by Putin in 2018 as part of a wider effort to modernise Russia‘s war machine.

The hypersonic missile is typically launched from MiG-31K fighter jets but may be integrated with Tu-22M3 bombers in future operations, the same aircraft that suffered losses during Operation Spider’s Web.

It can hit targets up to 1,200 miles away when launched from a MiG-31K and a distance greater than 3,000 miles away with the Tu-22M3.

The missile can be equipped with both conventional and nuclear warheads weighing 500 kilograms.

Following the Spider’s Web attack, United States President Donald Trump confirmed he had spoken with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, claiming he said “very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields”.

Mr Zelensky, who has accepted a US ceasefire proposal and offered to meet Mr Putin in an attempt to break the stalemate in negotiations, wants more international sanctions on Russia to force it to accept a settlement.

Mr Putin has shown no willingness to meet Mr Zelensky, however, and has indicated no readiness to compromise.

US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the more than three-year war have delivered no significant progress, and the grinding war of attrition has continued unabated.

Germany’s new leader Friedrich Merz was due to meet Mr Trump in Washington on Thursday as he works to keep the US on board with Western diplomatic and military support for Ukraine.