Russia said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces fired US-provided Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) into Russia’s Kursk Oblast twice in recent days and vowed there would be a response.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine fired five ATACMS against Russian S-400 missile defense systems on November 23. The ministry said air defenses intercepted three missiles while two hit their targets, resulting in the damage of a radar station and the injury of several Russian troops.
Two days later, on November 25, Ukrainian forces fired eight ATACMS at a Russian airfield in Kursk. The ministry said seven were intercepted while one hit its target, damaging infrastructure and wounding two Russian soldiers.
The Defense Ministry said that “retaliatory actions are being prepared.” Last week, Ukraine launched its first ATACMS strike on Russian territory, targeting the Bryansk Oblast. In response to that strike and Ukraine also firing British Storm Shadow missiles into Russia, the Russian military fired a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile at a military factory in Ukraine.
When discussing the ATACMS and Storm Shadow attacks, Putin said Russia had a right to strike the military facilities of the countries that are supplying such missiles to Ukraine, demonstrating how the NATO-supported long-range strikes in Russia risk World War III and nuclear escalation.
“We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities,” Putin said. “If anyone else doubts this, then they are wrong – there will always be a response.”
ATACMS have a range of about 190 miles, and Storm Shadows can hit targets up to 155 miles away. Both missiles require intelligence from Ukraine’s Western backers to be fired, meaning that NATO is now directly supporting strikes on Russian territory.
While the strikes risk nuclear escalation, US officials have admitted the capability is not expected to alter the course of the war, and Ukraine is said to only have a limited supply of the ATACMS and Storm Shadows.
