Retired US general in Kiev: ‘Immense’ fear at ICBM reports

A retired US general in Kiev, Ukraine, said there is “tremendous” fear in the city of retaliation by Russia after it fired what Ukraine has said is an intercontinental ballistic missile at Dnipro, according to CNN.

Retired US 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 fear of attacks on Kiev after Russia’s strike today.

MacCarley said, “The sirens eventually stopped, 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.” “

The retired US general added: “You could say that Russia fired first at Dnipro as a statement suggesting that if Ukraine does not withdraw from the use of, say, the recently delivered ATACMS (US extended-range missiles) from the US and Storm Shadows from the UK that Russia will use the same longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile and hit Kiev.”

Newsweek emailed the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for comment.

Newsweek also contacted MacCarley via his personal email and his law firm’s out-of-hours email.

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 Astrakhan region in southern Russia.

Ukraine’s air force reportedly intercepted six of the seven Kh-101 cruise missiles during the attack, which took place overnight.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued 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 his true nature – his contempt for dignity, freedom and human life itself. And most of all, his fear. The fear is so overwhelming that it unleashes missile after missile and scours 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 underway.”

Zelensky continued: “It is clear that Putin is using Ukraine as a testing ground. It is also clear that he is afraid of the normal life next to him. A life where people live with dignity. A country that wants to be free and have the right to be independent Putin will do anything to prevent his neighbor from slipping out of his grasp.

“And I thank all Ukrainians – both men and women – who are defending Ukraine against this evil with resilience, bravery and strength. With dignity. Dignity. That’s one of the defining words for Ukraine. And it’s a word that will probably never again will be talked about Russia.”

This attack followed Ukraine’s launch of long-range ATACMS missiles into Russia on November 19, hitting an ammunition storage facility near the city of Karachev in Bryansk Oblast.

Ukraine’s launch of US-made ATACMS missiles marked the first strike using long-range missiles following President Joe Biden’s authorization of Ukraine’s use of such weapons to conduct deep strikes in Russia.

Ukraine also sent Storm Shadow missiles made by Britain and France into Kursk today, allegedly intended to attack a Russian armed forces command center located in the Russian Presidential Directorate sanatorium at Maryino Estate, according to Moscow Times.

These attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new nuclear doctrine into law on November 19. It says Russian nuclear deterrence will be exercised “against a potential enemy” and considers nuclear use an “extreme measure”.

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 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 assists clients with international business matters, law enforcement matters, real estate, intellectual property and more.

He is also a consultant to the National Defense Research University of the Republic of Armenia 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.