Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader had earlier announced the use of an intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine.

In a social media post, Zelenskyy called the missile launch "a clear and severe escalation in the scale and brutality of this war."

He wrote, "Putin is not only prolonging the war -- he is spitting in the face of those in the world who genuinely want peace to be restored."

Zelenskyy added that the use of a ballistic missile against Ukraine was "yet more proof that Russia has no interest in peace."

The Ukrainian president urged the international community to apply pressure on Moscow, saying that Putin has to be stopped.

He expressed concern that the absence of strong countermeasures to the Russian actions conveyed the impression that its behavior is acceptable.