On the night of October 17, explosions rang out at Russian-occupied airfields near Luhansk and Berdiansk. It is known that helicopters, equipment, and personnel of the invaders were affected. The Russians called the attack one of the most powerful in the entire period of the full-scale war.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the airfield attack was the first case of Ukraine using long-range ATACMS missiles. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the information in an evening address.
“Today, I am especially grateful to the United States. Our agreements with President Biden are being implemented. And they are being implemented very accurately – ATACMS have proven themselves,” Ukraine’s president said.
The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces also confirmed the night operation in Berdiansk and Luhansk. The defenders destroyed nine Russian helicopters of various modifications, special equipment, an anti-aircraft defense launcher, an ammunition storage point, and also damaged airfield runways.
“The ammunition storage point in Berdiansk detonated until four in the morning. The detonation in Luhansk lasted until 11 in the morning. Losses in the enemy’s manpower amount to dozens of dead and wounded,” the SOF said.
Later, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, showed a video of the launch of ATACMS missiles. “ATACMS. The work of our soldiers. Thank you for your service! Thanks to the partners for their support. Together – to victory,” Zaluzhnyi wrote.
The Wall Street Journal writes that the US has secretly sent a “small number” of long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine over the past few days. At the same time, AP sources report that Washington has supplied Kyiv with about a “dozen ATACMS” [a dozen is 12 pieces].
“At the same time, when the issue of Ukraine’s acquisition of ATACMS has already been resolved, it is necessary to remember that another extremely important condition for the effectiveness of use is the number of missiles themselves. And as Kyrylo Budanov, the Chief of Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, said in September, if the Armed Forces receive a conditional 100 missiles, it will not change the situation. We should be talking about hundreds of ATACMS”, the Defense Express media writes.
ATACMS is an American operational-tactical missile complex with a ballistic missile. This class of missiles is launched from the ground and hits ground targets. ATACMS are not only long-range, but also highly accurate. Depending on the modification, it aims at a distance of 165 to 300 kilometers. Ukraine has received ATACMS M39, says Defense Express. The range of this missile is 165 kilometers.
ATACMS missiles have been the subject of intense debate since last year. Until now, the USA argued for the refusal to provide weapons with the risk of reducing such shells in the American army.
