The November 19 missile strike in Russia's Bryansk region has sparked conflicting accounts, with Ukraine reportedly launching eight ATACMS missiles, according to Reuters sources.
While Russia claims it intercepted the majority of the missiles, preliminary Ukrainian sources suggest the strike was a success.
Reuters, citing U.S. sources, reported that Russia intercepted only two of the eight ATACMS missiles fired by Ukraine.
These long-range weapons were allegedly aimed at a key military target: the arsenal of the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate of Russia's Ministry of Defense in the city of Karachev.
In contrast, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its forces intercepted five out of six missiles, asserting that the debris caused only a small fire at a military facility. This statement contradicts Western assessments.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has neither confirmed nor denied the use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles in the strike.
However, he emphasized Ukraine's expanding long-range strike capabilities, which have increasingly targeted Russian military infrastructure.
In previous remarks, Zelensky lauded these weapons as a game-changer for Ukraine’s defense efforts, particularly in neutralizing Russian supply chains and critical assets deep inside Russian territory.
The attack comes shortly after the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to deploy ATACMS missiles for strikes within Russian borders. This marks a notable escalation in U.S. support for Ukraine, providing Kyiv with a tool for long-range, precision strikes.
