Ukraine strikes Russian targets using US ATACMS missiles in first public acknowledgment – Firstpost

Ukraine’s military said Tuesday it has attacked military targets inside Russia using US-supplied ATACMS missiles, calling the operation an “important development.”

according to a reuters According to the report, the move is the first time Ukraine has publicly acknowledged using US-provided advanced ballistic missile systems against Russian territory, even though a ban on such attacks was lifted a year ago by the outgoing Biden administration.

“Long-range strike capabilities, including systems such as ATACMS, will continue to be used,” reuters The military general staff was quoted as saying in a statement on Tuesday.

Kiev received US-supplied systems in 2023, but their use was initially limited only within its own territory, about a fifth of which is occupied by Russia.

Then-President Joe Biden lifted those restrictions in November 2024, a decision that was initially criticized by his successor Donald Trump.

Ukraine has also requested US-made Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of 2,500 km (1,550 mi), arguing that they could help pressure Russia for talks.

Although Trump briefly considered the idea of ​​providing missiles to Kiev, he said in November that he was “not really” pursuing the plan.

with inputs from agencies