KYIV: Ukraine says Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile overnight targeting Dnipro city in the central-east of the country, the first time Moscow has used such a missile in the war.

It wasn't clear exactly what type of missile was fired, but Ukraine's air force said in a statement on Telegram on Thursday that it was launched from Russia's Astrakhan region.

The development comes as the war has taken on a growing international dimension with the arrival of North Korean troops to help Russia on the battlefield.