MOSCOW: Russia’s military announced on Tuesday that Ukraine had launched US-supplied long-range missiles at a military facility in the Bryansk border region, marking the first reported use of these weapons since Washington approved their deployment.
According to a statement from Russia’s defense ministry, the attack occurred at 03:25 AM (0025 GMT), when Ukraine fired six ballistic missiles at the site. “The confirmed data shows that US-made ATACMS tactical missiles were used,” the ministry said.
Ukraine had been requesting the use of the longer-range ATACMS missiles for months, hoping to strike Russian targets deeper within its territory.
Moscow has repeatedly warned that any use of Western weapons to target Russian land would effectively make the United States a direct participant in the conflict, vowing an “appropriate and palpable response.”
The Russian defense ministry reported that five of the missiles were intercepted by its air defenses, while fragments from the sixth missile hit an unspecified military facility, sparking a small fire. “There were no casualties or significant damage,” the statement added.
Ukraine’s foreign minister praised the US authorization for the use of these missiles as a potential “game changer” in the ongoing conflict, which has now stretched into its third year.
