The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that its air defense forces intercepted and shot down four US-produced long-range missiles over the Crimea peninsula. The missiles, known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), had been recently supplied to Ukraine by Washington.
Details regarding the interception were not provided by the Russian defense ministry.
Earlier in the week, Russian officials accused Ukraine of launching ATACMS missiles in an attempt to breach Russian air defenses in Crimea. Six missiles were reportedly shot down during this alleged attack.
Last month, a US official revealed that the United States had covertly delivered long-range missiles to Ukraine. The ATACMS missiles, with a range of up to 300 km (190 miles), were reportedly used for the first time on April 17, targeting a Russian airfield in Crimea.
Initially, the Pentagon opposed the deployment of these missiles, fearing a negative impact on US military readiness and the potential for Ukraine to use them against targets deep inside Russia, potentially escalating the conflict.
The annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 has remained a contentious issue. In response to recent developments, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron pledged £3 billion ($3.7 billion) in annual military aid to Ukraine, with no objections to the use of weapons within Russia. This stance drew strong criticism from Moscow.
