Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, confirmed on Tuesday that Kyiv had utilized the long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) provided by the United States. Kyiv had persistently requested ATACMS from the U.S. administration, aiming to bolster their capability to target and disrupt supply lines, air bases, and rail networks in Russian-occupied regions inaccessible to short-range equipment.
Zelenskiy expressed gratitude to the United States, emphasizing the effective utilization of ATACMS missiles in fulfilling the agreements made with President Biden. This represents the first official acknowledgment of the deployment of ATACMS, known to have a range of up to 190 miles (306 km), within Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military had earlier announced that they had targeted two airfields utilized by Russia in the Moscow-occupied cities of Luhansk and Berdiansk. According to reports, the strikes resulted in the destruction of nine helicopters, an air defense missile launcher, and other equipment. The runways were also hit, and significant casualties were inflicted on Russian forces. Russia’s Defence Ministry did not provide any comments regarding the attacks.
