Russia has pledged to retaliate after it claimed to have shot down eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles fired by Ukraine at its border region of Belgorod.
“On January 3, an attempt was made from Ukrainian territory to launch a missile attack against the Belgorod region using US-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles,” the Russian Ministry of Defence said on Saturday.
“These actions by the Kyiv regime, which is supported by Western curators, will be met with retaliation,” it added, saying all the missiles were shot down.
The ministry said earlier that air defences downed eight ATACMS missiles in total, without saying when or where.
Officials in Ukraine have not yet responded to the accusation.
The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) has a range of 300km (190 miles) and was first developed in the 1980s.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden had authorised Kyiv to use long-range weapons against Russia last year, in a move the Kremlin denounced as a grave escalation of the nearly three-year conflict. Biden is expected to announce additional security assistance for Ukraine in the coming days, according to White House spokesperson John Kirby.
US President-elect Donald Trump said in an interview last month he was “very vehemently” opposed to Ukraine using the arms, which he said were “escalating” the conflict.
Besides military support from the US, Kyiv will also reportedly receive its first French Mirage 2000-5F multirole fighters this month, according to French magazine Avions Legendaires.
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