The world must respond to Russia’s use of a new ballistic missile, Volodymyr Zelensky said, as Vladimir Putin threatened to hit Britain with his hypersonic weapon.

The Ukrainian president said the use of a ballistic missile to strike the Dnieper was a “clear and severe escalation of the scale and brutality of this war” and warned that Russian President Mr Putin would attack or destabilize other countries if he was not stopped.

Putin said the use of the new weapon was in response to the UK and US allowing missiles they supplied to Ukraine to be used to strike targets in Russia.

“In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons on November 21 this year, the Russian armed forces launched a combined strike on one of the installations of the Ukrainian defense industry,” Putin said in a televised speech.

“One of Russia’s newest medium-range missile systems has been tested under combat conditions, in this case with a ballistic missile in a non-nuclear hypersonic warhead.”

He added: “We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against the military installations of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our installations.”

But Zelensky urged world leaders – his “dear partners” – not to be intimidated by Mr Putin’s actions or there would be “endless Russian attacks” and “not only against Ukraine”.

“The lack of harsh reactions to Russia’s actions sends a message that such behavior is acceptable,” the Ukrainian president said on X, formerly Twitter.

“That’s what Putin does. Putin must feel the cost of his troubled ambitions.

“An answer is needed. Pressure is needed. Russia must be forced into a real peace, which can only be obtained by force.

“Otherwise, there will be endless Russian strikes, threats and destabilization, not just against Ukraine.”

The UK is believed to have allowed its Storm Shadow missiles to be used by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, while the US has given permission for its ATACMS weapons to be fired at targets in Putin’s country.

Mr Putin confirmed that Russia had tested the new intermediate-range weapon in an attack on the Dnipro in response.

The US said the weapon is a new experimental intermediate-range missile based on Russia’s existing RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile.

At Westminster, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “I understand that this is the first time that Russia has used a ballistic missile in Ukraine with a range of several thousand kilometres.”

Defense Secretary John Healey said it was “another example of Putin’s recklessness”.

He said: “Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine began, Russia has steadily and irresponsibly escalated the conflict, while Ukraine continues to fight in self-defense for a democratic future.”

The range of the missile far exceeds that of the newly authorized weapons supplied by the US and UK, which can hit targets around 250-300 km away.

The distance from Moscow to London is about 2,500 km, which suggests that the range of the new missile could threaten Britain.

Mr Healey said the UK had known Russia had been “preparing for months” to fire a new ballistic missile.

Downing Street and the Ministry of Defense have repeatedly refused to comment publicly on Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow.

“It risks both operational security and ultimately the only one who benefits from such a public debate is President Putin,” Healey told MPs.

The head of the United Kingdom’s armed forces, Chief of the Defense Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, met Zelensky in Kiev on Thursday to discuss the war.

Mr Zelensky said: “We discussed defense cooperation between Ukraine and the UK, focusing on developing and improving the technological capabilities of Ukraine’s armed forces.

“Particular attention has been paid to Ukraine’s current military needs and continued support from our partners.”