2023-10-17 18:31:00
Their delivery was never officially announced, but here they are already in action. For the first time since the start of the conflict, the Ukrainian armed forces used ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles, supplied by the United States, to strike a Russian base in Berdyansk, on the Sea of Azov. “These are well-targeted strikes on enemy airfields and helicopters near the temporarily occupied cities of Luhansk and Berdyansk,” the Ukrainian army communicated on Telegram.
Nine helicopters, an air defense launcher, special vehicles and ammunition depots were destroyed, according to the Ukrainian army, who called this strike “Operation Dragonfly.” » These missiles are fired from Himars launchers, of which Ukraine has around ten examples, also delivered by Washington in the second half of 2022.
An older version of the missile
If their delivery had been strongly mentioned in September, no official supply had been communicated. The latest military aid package announced by Washington does not mention the delivery of these ATACMS. According to Wall Street Journal, the range of the missiles is “around 160 kilometers,” which suggests that Washington has not provided the most recent version of its ATACMS. The most contemporary versions of these missiles can strike a target up to 300 kilometers away. But the possibility of Ukraine striking inside Russia using American weapons worried the White House.
As a sign of caution, only “a small number of missiles were secretly sent to Ukraine,” according to the Wall Street Journal. This increases Ukraine’s ability to strike deep behind the front line, similar to the strike carried out on the port of Sevastopol in late September. In its arsenal, the Ukrainian army already has long-range surface-to-surface missiles: the Storm Shadows, supplied by Great Britain, and the Scalps, delivered by France in July.
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