Did Russia warn US it was launching ballistic missile on Ukraine?

THE SCOOP: Russia warned the US of an incoming ballistic missile strike on Ukraine shortly before Thursday’s attack, a US administration official told Semafor.

“The United States was pre-notified briefly before the launch,” the official said.

The US also briefed Ukraine and other allies in the days leading up to the attack about Russia’s possible use of an experimental medium-range ballistic missile “to help them prepare,” the official said.

Russia and the US typically inform each other if they plan to launch ballistic missiles, however it was unclear whether or not Moscow had done so this time.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov later said there were ”no notifications, because Russia has no such obligation with intermediate-range missiles,” the Russian news agency TASS reported.

On Thursday, Russia struck the Ukrainian city of Dnipro; while Ukrainian officials initially accused Russia of using an intercontinental ballistic missile, Western officials have disputed that, saying it was an intermediate-range missile.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said it was a new medium-range ballistic missile called “Oreshnik,” adding that the attack was in response to Kyiv’s use of US and UK weapons to strike Russian territory.

“We are carefully analyzing the missile and the implications for Russia’s arms control obligations and for NATO’s deterrence and deference posture,” the US official said, adding that Russia likely only possesses “a handful” of this kind of missile.