The British military has corroborated its use, reporting the destruction of over a dozen Russian aircraft in two strikes on Russian air bases within Ukraine.
Ukraine’s armed forces have confirmed the deployment of the American-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS)
As per the statement released by the British Ministry of Defense on October 20, the assaults purportedly incapacitated a total of 14 Russian helicopters. These operations were carried out in the Berdyansk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, with the Berdyansk base identified as a crucial forward operating base for Russian troops in the south.
President Volodomyr Zelensky of Ukraine initially revealed the active deployment of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) in combat on October 17. A video posted by Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the top Ukrainian commander, exhibited the firing of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) on the battlefield. Initially, reports indicated the destruction of nine Russian aircraft. However, the British military’s recent report on Friday provides a more comprehensive account of the system’s use in the conflict.
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) represents the latest addition to Western armaments dispatched and employed by Kyiv. The U.S. government supplied versions of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) with limited range, ensuring their incapacity to target locations within Russia itself, a modification frequently applied to American weaponry sent to Ukraine.
Despite this week’s strikes on the air bases, Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed the impact of the missiles on altering the war’s trajectory, dismissing the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) as “another mistake by the United States”
According to British military sources, the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) assaults yielded a consequential aftermath beyond the immediate destruction. Rotary aircraft, particularly helicopters, constitute a vital element of the Russian aerial strategy, making the loss of the purported 14 helicopters notably challenging to swiftly replace. The MOD further noted that this successful strike is likely to prompt Russian forces to relocate their Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) farther from the front lines in order to safeguard their assets.
A month ago, the U.S. publicly pledged Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) support to Ukraine. However, additional military aid remains in limbo, as Congress failed to authorize supplementary funding in September due to the ongoing deadlock in selecting a new Speaker of the House. Recently, the Biden administration proposed a $61 billion allocation for Ukraine’s defense, forming part of a broader defense funding request.
READ ALSO: Dmitry Peskov: Russia Vigilantly Monitors U.S. Nuclear Test, Urges International Evaluation