Ukraine fires ATACMS missiles into Crimea, Russia launches fierce airstrikes on Odesa

A US official said last week that Washington secretly shipped long-range missiles to Kiev as part of a $300 million military aid package to Ukraine that US President Joe Biden approved on March 12.

A Russian missile launch system fires. Photo: TASS

Whether to send ATACMS missiles, which have a range of up to 300 kilometers, has been a subject of debate within the Biden administration for months. The US previously provided medium-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine in September last year.

The Russian Defense Ministry said six ATACMS were shot down. Sergei Aksyonov, the head of Crimea, also confirmed that ATACMS missiles were shot down on the peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

"Ten Ukrainian drones, six US-made ATACMS tactical missiles and two French-made 'Hammer' guided aerial bombs were shot down by air defense forces," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Russian MP Leonid Ivlev, who served in the Soviet Air Force, said Ukraine had attacked air bases in Crimea with 12 ATACMS, adding that the attacks could increase ahead of President Vladimir Putin's inauguration for a new term next week.

“Their targets were airfields. The missiles were destroyed by air defenses,” Ivlev told RIA news agency. He said Ukraine was trying to penetrate the air defense shield over Crimea and then attack strategically important facilities.

“I think that as the May holidays approach, as well as the inauguration of the Russian president, new attempts to attack the peninsula are likely,” Ivlev said.

On the other side of the front line, Russia is also intensifying its air strikes on Ukraine. A Russian missile attack targeted the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odessa on Monday, causing extensive damage to people and infrastructure.

Ukrainian navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk, in a post on the military Telegram channel, said the attack was carried out by Iskander-M ballistic missiles with cluster warheads.

Odesa is a frequent target of Russian missile and drone attacks, particularly on port infrastructure.

A US official told Reuters in Washington that the ATACMS missile was first used in the early hours of April 17, targeting a Russian airfield in Crimea, about 165 km (100 miles) from the Ukrainian front line.

The Pentagon initially opposed the deployment of the long-range missile because of concerns that losing the missile from the US stockpile would affect the US military's combat readiness.

There are also concerns that Ukraine will use them to strike targets deep inside Russia, a move that could escalate the war into direct confrontation between Russia and the United States.

Hoang Anh (according to TASS, RIA, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ukraine-ban-ten-lua-tam-xa-atacms-vao-crimea-nga-khong-kich-du-doi-odesa-post293795.html