Ukrainian forces fired six US-provided Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and four British Storm Shadow missiles into Russia’s Rostov Oblast on Wednesday, and Moscow is vowing it will respond.
According to Russian media, the NATO-supported attack targeted a large chemical plant in Rostov. “These actions by the Kiev regime supported by Western handlers won’t be left unanswered,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The ministry said that all of the ATACMS were shot down by Russian air defenses, and three out of four of the Storm Shadows were intercepted. One of the missiles fell and caused damage on the grounds of the chemical plant.
President Biden gave Ukraine the greenlight to use US and British missiles in long-range strikes on Russian territory despite Moscow making it clear the move would risk nuclear escalation. Since then, Ukraine has launched several attacks on Russian territory using Western-provided missiles.
President-elect Donald Trump has called Biden’s decision to sign off on the long-range strikes “stupid” and suggested he could reverse the move.
The advanced missiles require intelligence from the US or its allies to be fired, meaning the attacks are directly supported by NATO countries. Earlier this year, a German military leak revealed British soldiers are “on the ground” in Ukraine helping fire Storm Shadows.
In response to previous ATACMS and Storm Shadow strikes in Russia, the Russian military launched a new intermediate-range ballistic missile into Ukraine known as the Oreshnik. The missile was believed not to be carrying explosives since little damage was done, and Putin referred to it as a “test launch.” A strike with a conventionally armed Oreshnik could do major damage, as Putin has suggested the missile could replace nuclear weapons as Russia’s deterrent.
