Ukraine reportedly launches 1st US-made ATACMS strike inside Russia
A US MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System round, seen here being test-fired at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico in December 2021, has a range of around 300 km. Use of its true range by Ukrainian forces might offset the threat from a massing of North Korean troops in the Kursk region. (Photo: US Army)
Ukraine reportedly launched its first attack using Western-supplied ATACMS missiles, striking a military warehouse in the Bryansk region. The first reported strike marks a significant escalation in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Details of attack
According to RBC Ukraine, Ukrainian forces targeted a military facility in the city of Karachev, located about 115 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The strike, reportedly carried out with ATACMS missiles, detonated stored ammunition.
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the attack but did not disclose the type of weapons used, citing classified information. This marks the first deployment of ATACMS missiles by Ukraine following approval from the Biden administration for limited use of the weapons against targets inside Russia.
In the early hours of November 19, 2024, units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in coordination with other components of the Defense Forces, delivered a fire strike on the arsenal of the 1046th Centre for Material-Technical Support near Karachev in Russia’s Bryansk region,
Ukrainian Army
Russia’s military said Tuesday that Ukraine fired US-supplied long-range missiles at a military facility in the Bryansk border region, state media reported, in what would be the first attack since Washington authorised such strikes.
“At 03:25 am (0025 GMT), the enemy struck a site in the Bryansk region with six ballistic missiles. According to confirmed data, US-made ATACMS tactical missiles were used,” state news agencies reported the defence ministry as saying in a statement.
Putin expands nuclear doctrine
On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an updated nuclear doctrine that broadens the conditions under which nuclear weapons may be used. The new policy allows for nuclear retaliation in response to conventional attacks, including those involving drones, if they pose a critical threat to Russia’s sovereignty or territorial integrity.
The decree also emphasizes that aggression by a non-nuclear state, backed by a nuclear power, will be considered a joint attack.
Russia’s reaction to western weapons
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia views the use of Western weapons by Ukraine as part of a broader aggression supported by nuclear powers. Peskov stated, “The Russian Federation retains the right to use nuclear weapons in case of aggression using conventional weapons against it.”
President Putin has repeatedly warned the U.S. and its allies against enabling Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory, asserting that such actions could escalate the conflict into a direct confrontation.
ATACMS deployment increases Ukraine’s strike range
Ukraine has relied on drones for long-range strikes deep into Russian territory but has sought Western weapons for their increased destructive capability. Ukrainian officials have emphasized the need to target air bases and missile launch sites used by Russia to conduct attacks.
The U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles significantly enhance Ukraine’s ability to strike key military targets within Russia, increasing pressure on Moscow to respond.
| Speed: Approximately Mach 3, or around 3,700 km/h | Speed:Approximately Mach 3, or around 3,700 km/h |
| Dimensions: Length: 5,75 m; Width: 2,49 m; Height: 2.4 m | Designer Country: United States |
| Range: 160 to 300 km | Launch Weight: 1,600 to 2,300 kg depending on the specific variant of the missile |
| Guidance Systems: GPS/INS | Type and Accuracy: Short-range tactical ballistic missile – Around 10 meters or less |
