In a recent interview with the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the commander of a Russian air defense unit, known by the call sign “Bullet,” revealed that Russian forces are now capable of intercepting American ATACMS missiles provided to Ukraine by Washington.
According to Bullet, the ATACMS missiles have a range of 165 km, which means they can reach targets from deep within Ukrainian territory to the northern part of Crimea. He explained that after the attack on a Russian airbase, the Russian military was initially unsure of what they were facing. However, this was the case with all the weaponry that the West had supplied to Kiev.
“When the Ukrainian armed forces started actively using JDAM guided bombs, we also didn’t immediately understand what they were. They have no horizontal speed or thermal signatures. But now, we can shoot down both bombs and cruise missiles in a standby mode. We learn very quickly. After just a few instances of encountering a new type of ammunition, we develop countermeasures and work algorithms. We will shoot down ATACMS as well,” Bullet shared.
Previously, retired Colonel Victor Litovkin, a military expert, explained that Russian air defense systems, including the “Tor,” “Buk,” and S-400 missile complexes, are capable of intercepting American ATACMS ballistic missiles.
Earlier, the United States identified ATACMS as one of the greatest threats to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
