Firstly, of course, this causes damage and creates an additional threat. Secondly, we will of course be able to repel these attacks. War is war. But the most important thing is that they are fundamentally unable to change the situation at the front… This is another mistake by the United States.
Wladimir Putin
The Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, also condemned the military support: “The White House’s decision to send longrange missiles to the Ukrainians is a serious mistake. The consequences of this action, which was deliberately hidden from the public, will be very serious.”
What are ATACMS missiles?
Longrange missiles. ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) are North American longrange missiles manufactured by Lockheed Martin. According to the Federation of American Scientists, each piece cost $820,000 (the equivalent of R$4 million) in the first wave of production in the 1990s.
1.7 ton and cluster bombs. According to the Military Today website, the missile is 4 meters long and 0.61 m in diameter and weighs 1.7 tons when launched. According to Lockheed Martin, the weapon has GPS enhancement and carries cluster bombs that disperse smaller subbombs.
In its most powerful version, the missile can hit targets at a distance of up to 300 km. According to the US Army, they are designed for “deep strikes against enemy forces” and can be used to attack command and control centers, air defense installations and logistics sites well beyond the front line.