The Army Tactical Missile System. Photo, US DoD.
Ukraine has reportedly struck a Russian military air base using the US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for the first time following the easing of restrictions on weapons aid to Kyiv.
Cyber Boroshno, a Ukraine-based geospatial intelligence group, said the attack took place on November 25, targeting the Kursk Vostochny air base in western Russia.
The missile, equipped with cluster warheads, detonated some of its payload directly on the airfield.
Satellite imagery indicates the strike hit a parking lot, though it remains unclear if Russian combat aircraft were present at the time.
While Moscow has not yet confirmed the attack, a Russian blogger with alleged ties to the air force corroborated reports of ballistic missile strikes on the base.
On November 17, US President Joe Biden granted Ukraine permission to use its donated weapons for long-range strikes inside Russia.
The move came after months of pressure from allies and global leaders for Kyiv to be given more freedom to counter Moscow’s aggression.
Washington had been hesitant to approve such actions due to concerns over escalating the war and the risk of Russia reverse-engineering advanced American weapons.
White House National Security Advisor John Kirby had previously downplayed the ATACMS’ ability to destroy Russian warplanes, suggesting that Moscow may have stationed them beyond the missile’s range.
In May, Biden temporarily eased restrictions on Kyiv’s use of US-supplied weapons for strikes against Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.
Since then, Ukraine has used the ATACMS to target key Russian military assets, including radar stations and weapons depots.
On November 18, a day after Biden’s announcement, Ukraine launched its first long-range ATACMS strike against the Russian Ministry of Defence’s 67th arsenal.
