Ukraine said on Tuesday that it used U.S.-supplied ATACMS long-range missiles to strike military targets inside Russia a move Kyiv called a “significant development.”
The Ukrainian general staff said the strikes used long-range strike systems like ATACMS and that such operations will continue. Until now, Ukraine had not openly confirmed using the advanced U.S. ballistic missiles on Russian soil. Kyiv received ATACMS in 2023 but was at first limited to using them only inside Ukraine, including areas Russia occupies.
Those limits were lifted in November 2024 by then-U.S. President Joe Biden, clearing the way for strikes beyond Ukraine’s borders. The decision drew criticism from his successor, Donald Trump, at the time. Separately, Ukraine has asked the U.S. for Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can reach about 1,550 miles a capability Kyiv says would strengthen its bargaining position in any future talks. Trump has since said he was “not really” considering providing Tomahawks.
