Ukraine launched a devastating attack on Russian air force bases on the night of Monday to Tuesday, utilizing U.S.-made ATACMS missiles, as reported by German news website n-tv.de.
According to an analysis by the U.S.-based think tank, Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Ukrainian attack will “likely” cause Russia to disperse its air forces and “relocate to airfields further from the frontline.” The ISW also reported, citing corresponding satellite images, that Russia’s helicopters, which were stationed at the Bryansk airfield, have been widely scattered by the Russian military. Ukraine is therefore “likely only able to attack individual objects with the long-range missiles currently available.” However, the ATACMS enables Ukraine to destroy Russian airfields and other facilities at a greater distance more extensively. According to Ukrainian reports, a total of nine Russian helicopters were destroyed in the nighttime attacks.
Image: Presidential Executive Office of Russia, Visit to joint staff of military branches involved in special military operation 04, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified)
