Russia took responsibility on Saturday for downing eight ATACMS missiles, provided by the United States to Ukraine, in escalating tensions within the ongoing conflict. The Russian defense forces announced that their air defense systems intercepted 72 drones in addition to the missiles but made no reference to casualties or damage from the event.
The ATACMS missiles are one of the issues between Moscow and Washington with a maximum reach of 190 miles or 300 kilometers, which have reached Ukraine through long-range missiles of the Biden administration in the US. The possibility of such attacks penetrating deep inside Russian territory through these missiles can provoke a possible retaliatory response from Moscow via hypersonic ballistic missiles targeted on central Kyiv.
The downing of the ATACMS missiles, a new step in the present war that sees both parties involved increasing military engagement and retaliation levels, represents another milestone. There is little dispute that missile systems supplied by the US form one of the pivotal components of defense for Ukraine while, in truth, increasing tension in an already tense standoff involving two nuclear weapons powers.
This latest exchange marks a new level of risks in the war, as Moscow’s new hypersonic missile technology continues to serve as a warning to Ukraine and its Western allies about the potential consequences of increased military support.
