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Satellite images of the aftermath of a Ukrainian strike by U.S. ATACMS missiles on an airfield in Russia-controlled Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia, have been made public. The images released by Schemes, a Ukrainian investigative project by Radio Liberty, show five to seven areas with traces of open burning. Apparently, those used to be Russian helicopters.
This was Ukraine’s first strike on a Russian target with U.S. ATACMS missiles. ATACMS is a family of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System operational missiles. The missiles belong to the same class of kill vehicles as Russia's Iskander or Tochka-U. The range of some modifications is 300 kilometers, and the weight of the warhead varies from 227 kg to 560 kg. As launch platforms, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are using the HIMARS and M270 MLRS systems that were already transferred to them.
For a long time, the U.S. authorities refused to provide Ukraine with these weapons, fearing an escalation of the conflict with Russia. Kyiv has repeatedly assured that there will be no strikes on Russian territory. The Insider previously compiled a map of potential targets for ATACMS cluster missiles in the southern operational area, where they will most likely continue to be used. The airfield at Berdiansk was also included in this map.