In a stark illustration of the evolving dynamics of the Ukraine conflict, a recent barrage of ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) strikes has reportedly led to significant Russian troop casualties in eastern Ukraine. New information points to the deadly precision and strategic deployment of American-supplied long-range missiles as Ukraine continues to resist the Russian invasion.
A gathering of Russian troops, apparently for training purposes, in an area near Kuban in Luhansk Oblast—a mere 60 miles from the frontlines—became the target of a lethal Ukrainian attack. With an arsenal that now includes the powerful ATACMS, Ukraine demonstrated its growing capability to strike deep within territories occupied by Russian forces.
The ATACMS, with a reach of up to 190 miles depending on the variant, delivers a formidable punch. Each missile can scatter hundreds to nearly a thousand grenade-sized submunitions, creating a “kill zone” of up to 2.5 acres. In this instance, the Ukrainian forces, monitoring the scene with a drone, unleashed four ATACMS rockets. While one failed to detonate, the remaining three rained devastation on the Russian troops below, with the Institute for the Study of War in Washington, D.C. estimating potentially all 116 soldiers in one group were killed.
This operation marks a significant shift in Ukraine’s tactical approach, reflecting the country’s ability to capitalize on the weaknesses in Russian planning and their inadequate air defenses, which have failed to intercept the incoming ATACMS. The attack on Kuban could be one of the bloodiest single events in the 27-month-long conflict, and it serves as a stark reminder of the evolving warfare capabilities of the Ukrainian army.
The deployment of these rockets follows the United States’ decision to acquiesce to Ukrainian requests for advanced weaponry. Before the U.S. Congress approved a massive $61 billion aid package to Ukraine, the Biden administration allocated $300 million from a previously approved contract toward an emergency shipment of ATACMS. The U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressed a commitment to supply Ukraine with “as many [ATACMS] as we can,” hinting at the urgency to distribute missiles with degrading rocket fuel.
Despite warnings and previous attacks, Russian forces were caught off-guard, highlighting their vulnerability and the failure to adapt to the new threat posed by the long-range strike capabilities now in Ukraine’s possession. After the first delivery of ATACMS last fall, Ukraine showed no hesitation in targeting Russian airfields and air defense systems, with recent shipments enabling further strikes on critical Russian military infrastructure.
Relevant articles:
– Hundreds of Russian Troops Gathered. Then Four ATACMS Rockets Struck, forbes.com, 05/03/2024
– Hundreds of Russian Troops Gathered Out In The Open. They Didn’t Know The Ukrainians Had Aimed Four ATACMS Rockets At Them., Forbes, 05/02/2024
– Over 100 Russian Soldiers Reported Dead in ATACMS Strike on Firing Range, Newsweek, 05/02/2024
– Russia says it shot down six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles; Odesa, Kharkiv hit with deadly strikes, CNBC, 04/30/2024
– Ukraine Strikes Major Russian Troop Concentration With ATACMS, The Defense Post, 05/02/2024