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A nightmare became reality for the logisticians of the Russian army on Tuesday night. Surprisingly, Ukraine attacked for the first time with ATACMS missiles. Until recently, the American government did not specify whether it actually wanted to provide Kiev with the highly destructive long-range missiles. Now the weapon has made its debut in the east of the country – and with a bang.

According to Kiev, the Ukrainian army has fired five ATACMS at two Russian air bases near Luhansk and Berdyansk in the occupied part of Ukraine. According to unconfirmed reports, at least nine Russian attack helicopters were destroyed and dozens of soldiers were killed or injured. Russian bloggers also reported on the attack. This video published by Russian sources claims to show the airport near Berdyansk after the attack. The images also show burning helicopters.

Ukraine has this ATACMS

The US government confirmed after the attack that it had delivered ATACMS with a range of 165 kilometers to Ukraine. This suggests that Kiev received the oldest version of the weapon from the 1990s. This also seems to be confirmed by images of the remains of the missiles distributed via Russian Telegram channels. This means it is ATACMS version M39.

These are equipped with a warhead that releases 950 smaller explosives when detonated over the target. This version of the missile is particularly suitable against lightly armored targets, troop concentrations or air bases. In English the tricky abbreviation can be pronounced “Attack ’ems”, in German it can be pronounced: “Give it to them” – an appropriate name for the projectile.

Will Kiev get even more modern ATACMS?

The US government said the decision to deliver the ATACMS to Ukraine was made in August. It is unclear how many ATACMS Ukraine has received and whether the US will also deliver more modern versions of the missile. These have a range of up to 300 kilometers and can also carry explosive nuclear warheads.

“The US still has 98 of the currently in-service M39s in stock,” Canadian weapons expert Colby Badhwar wrote on Twitter. “Another 532 units of the M39A1 version and 517 units of the M48 and M57 versions are considered expired by the US military and could be delivered to Ukraine,” Badhwar said. Before delivery, the US military had to check whether the missiles, which had been marked as expired, were still operational. This has now apparently been confirmed.

The ATACMS are not a “miracle weapon,” but they give Ukraine another advantage in the fight against Putin’s invading forces. They had to reorganize their war logistics in the occupied part of Ukraine last summer after Ukraine received several Himars and M270 rocket launchers.

ATACMS and Russian logistics

Until now, Ukraine had missiles available for this system with a maximum range of about 90 kilometers. In doing so, it deliberately destroyed Russian arms and ammunition depots, logistics centers and command posts behind the front line. Since then, Russian logistics forces have adapted to long-range attacks and set up important facilities beyond this range, even as longer distances to the front make it more difficult to supply the occupiers with weapons, fuel and food. Now the Ukrainian army can block Russian supplies even more efficiently.

The Russian army is now likely to have problems not only with logistics. “The ATACMS attacks on two important air bases will force the Russians to station planes and helicopters further behind the front,” analyzes the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). “This will severely limit the Russian military’s ability to support its ground forces from the air.”

The deployment of combat helicopters becomes particularly difficult if they have to travel a longer distance to the front, according to the ISW. “This is especially important because the Russian helicopters have significantly delayed the Ukrainian counter-offensive that has been underway since June.”

The Bull debate is flaring up again

The Kremlin has now also responded to the first Ukrainian ATACMS attack: “The White House’s decision to supply the Ukrainians with long-range missiles is a serious mistake,” Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov wrote on Telegram. But the “American gifts” had no influence on the war, Antonov continued. Russia will achieve its objectives of the ‘special military operation’, as Moscow officially calls the war.

Critics had expressed fears that the delivery of ATACMS could provoke Russia and lead to an escalation of the war.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is probably also concerned about this. As a result, the supply of German Taurus cruise missiles was initially dependent on the US supplying ATACMS to Ukraine. Taurus has a range of 500 kilometers and could destroy the illegally built Kerch Bridge between the occupied Crimean Peninsula and the Russian mainland.

Scholz recently rejected delivery of the Taurus. Now the debate could start again: “Scholz has always emphasized that German arms deliveries only take place in coordination with the US,” CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen wrote on Twitter. “Now Biden has delivered ATACMS and the escalation has stopped again. There is no reason to continue denying Ukraine the Taurus that the country urgently needs!”

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