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Russia’s ambassador to the US has expressed grave concerns over Washington’s decision to supply Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles.

Ukrainian forces launching 6 ATACMS missiles at one time from HIMARS launchers

Ambassador Anatoly Antonov remarked on Telegram, “The consequences of this step, which was deliberately hidden from the public, will be of the most serious nature.”

Following media speculations, the White House recently acknowledged having supplied Kyiv with the ATACMS variant to target locations up to 102 miles. In line with this, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy verified the deployment of these missiles, as Ukrainian forces disclosed they had targeted two Russian-controlled air bases. The strikes reportedly destroyed nine helicopters, an air defense missile launcher, and other assets in areas near Luhansk and Berdiansk.

Ukraine had previously appealed to the US for ATACMS, committing not to deploy them within Russian territory and emphasizing their potential to reshape the ongoing 20-month conflict initiated by Russia. While the actual benefit of the missile system to Ukraine remains uncertain, Kyiv officials anticipate that its presence will compel Russia to reposition its significant air assets further from battle zones.

Contrarily, the Kremlin believes the US’s provision of ATACMS missiles and Abrams tanks to Ukraine won’t significantly affect battlefield dynamics. Adding to the tensions, Antonov stated, “Washington is consistently pursuing a policy of completely curtailing bilateral relations,” hinting at a widening rift between NATO and Russia due to US actions.