More than 100 Russian soldiers were reportedly killed when a volley of Atacms Missiles hit a training base in eastern Ukraine in one of the largest single losses of Russian lives in months.
Drone footage shared on social media appeared to show at least four of the short-range ballistic missiles, armed with cluster warheads, destroying the gathering of Russian troops in just 95 seconds.
Ukraine has been begging the US for months to supply high-precision, long-range Atacms missiles before they are launched. secretly sent to Kyiv last month.
Western analysts said the attack took place at a Russian training center between the cities of Kuban and Mozhnyakivka, about 80 kilometers behind the front lines in the Donbass region of Luhansk.
The attacks reportedly killed 116 Russian soldiers, the US-based Institute for the Study of War think tank wrote in a report on Wednesday.
‘These attacks are crucial’
Neither the Russian nor Ukrainian defense ministries have commented on the reported attacks. But surveillance footage from a Ukrainian drone showed a cluster of Russian forces and at least three armored vehicles.
At first, a failed missile appeared to hit a field near the troops, sending a cloud of dark smoke into the air. Shortly afterwards, there is a rapid explosion of three explosions that cover the area, with the distinct smoke trails from the cluster bombs being scattered and detonated.
Russian troops were preparing for an offensive in the neighboring Kharkiv region, said Oleksandr Musiienko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Military-Legal Studies.
“These attacks in the Luhansk region are crucial,” he said. “It is precisely in the territory of the northeastern part of the Luhansk region that Russia has been training and coordinating its units, which were specifically preparing for an escalation of hostilities in the Kharkiv region, where Russia plans to reinforce its advance.”
Newest missile can hit targets up to 300 kilometers away
Deep raids on Russian training camps and command centers are seen as an important part of Ukraine’s strategy to halt Moscow’s momentum in the war.
Such attacks make it more difficult for Russian forces to prepare for offensive munitions and for commanders to give orders, analysts say.
“The objective is to slow down the enemy’s offensive actions,” Musiienko said. “Not allowing them to deploy into combat formations. While we await more advanced weaponry, it is crucial to use what we have, namely Atacms, to attack the enemy from the rear and prevent them from advancing to the front line.”
Ukraine has received a small number of cluster warheads US Atacms missiles Last October. The older model has a range of between 25 and 100 miles compared to the new versionswhich can hit targets up to 300 kilometers away, which were donated as part of Washington’s latest military aid package.
Kiev has sparingly launched the first tranche of around 20 cluster missiles to target Russian airfields in a bid to erode Moscow’s dominance in the skies.
