Russia Vows Retaliation After Claiming to Have Shot Down US-Made ATACMS Missiles Fired by Ukraine
Russia has vowed retaliation after claiming to have shot down eight US-made ATACMS missiles fired by Ukraine on Saturday morning. The country’s air defenses shot down the eight ballistic missiles alongside 72 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to Russia’s Ministry of Defense.
Moscow sees the use of such missiles, which have a range of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles), as a major escalation. The Ministry of Defense said that “these actions by the Kyiv regime, which is supported by Western curators, will be met with retaliation.”
The statement also reported that several drones were destroyed in the Leningrad region in the north-west and one in Kursk, where Ukraine launched a surprise attack late last summer. The outgoing US President Joe Biden approved Kyiv’s use of ATACMS in November, citing Russia’s expansion of the conflict by deploying North Korean troops.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to respond to Ukrainian strikes using ATACMS with Russia’s new nuclear-capable ballistic missile “Oreshnik.” The first and only launch of the experimental weapon targeted Ukraine’s Dnipro region on the morning of November 21.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force Command reported that Russia launched a total of 81 drones at Ukraine overnight on Friday into Saturday, including Iranian-made Shahed drones and “various types of imitation drones.” Some 34 Shahed attack UAVs and other types of drones were downed, causing damage in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia began in February 2022, with Russia making gains on the eastern frontlines. Ukraine is concerned that the incoming Trump administration could cut vital military aid, as Trump has vowed to end the conflict.
