VLAD GOES BALLISTIC

Despot warns UK may be hit by new missile fired on Ukraine. Britain 'directly involved in war as Kyiv uses our weapons

- MIKEY SMITH

RUSSIA'S ballistic missile strike on Ukraine was a direct response to Britain and the US allowing Kyiv to use long-range warheads, Vladimir Putin said yesterday.

And the despot warned that UK targets could be hit after Russian ambassador to Britain Andrei Kelin said supplying Volodymyr Zelensky with Storm Shadow missiles meant we are now involved in the war.

Reports in Ukraine suggested Dnipro city had been hit by a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile, which it feared has nuclear capability and can travel more than 3400 miles.

Moscow labelled the weapon a hypersonic ballistic missile, and implied it would be capable of reaching Britain. London is about 1500 miles from Moscow. In a televised address yesterday, Putin said: "We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow Ukraine to use their weapons against our facilities.

"And in case of escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond resolutely in a mirror way." The dictator claimed Russia would issue advance warnings before strikes on other countries to allow civilians to evacuate to safety.