Ukraine struck Russia with U.S. missiles for the first time.

The President of the United States (USA), Joe Biden, has granted permission for Ukraine to use U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) on Russian territory. Following Biden's approval, Ukraine carried out its first attack on Russia. The Ukrainian Defense Forces initiated an attack on Russian territory using ATACMS ballistic missiles for the first time.

As tensions rise in the region, a statement from Russia reported that Ukraine attacked with long-range missiles and that 5 out of 6 missiles were intercepted.

WHAT IS ATACMS?

ATACMS, a type of supersonic tactical ballistic missile, was designed by the U.S. defense company Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) and Lockheed Martin, which also manufactures F-35 fighter jets. ATACMS missiles use solid fuel. They are 4 meters long and 610 mm in diameter, with a maximum range of up to 300 kilometers. This range is what makes the missile significant for Ukraine. The cost of each ATACMS missile is approximately 1.5 million dollars.

ATACMS is powered by a solid rocket propellant and follows a ballistic path towards the atmosphere at high speed and high angle before returning, making them difficult to intercept. They can be configured to carry two different types of warheads. The first consists of a cluster equipped with hundreds of submunitions designed to destroy lightly armored units over a wide area. This can include parked aircraft, air defenses, and troop concentrations.

USED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1991

The second type is a single warhead variant weighing 225 kg, designed to destroy hardened facilities and larger structures. ATACMS were first used in the 1991 Gulf War. The U.S. Army is currently replacing ATACMS missiles with a new generation of Precision Strike Missiles, which are faster and slimmer, with ranges of up to 500 km.

CRITICAL SIGNATURE FROM PUTIN

Following reports that the U.S. administration has allowed Ukraine to use long-range American weapons on Russian territory in a limited manner, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a chilling signature. Putin approved a doctrine that allows for a nuclear response if his country is subjected to ballistic missile attacks.