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Russia has vowed to retaliate against Ukraine after claiming to have intercepted eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles targeting its Belgorod region.
Some shit you should know before you read: Last year, the Biden administration greenlit Ukraine’s use of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to target Russian positions, a decision that drew nuclear threats from Moscow. Russia had warned that granting Ukraine access to long-range precision weaponry like ATACMS, which relies on advanced satellite targeting systems not independently available to Kyiv, could be perceived as direct US involvement in the conflict. Russian officials claimed that the deployment of ATACMS implied active US assistance in targeting and crossed a “red line” for Russia. Despite these warnings, a broader clash between the two powers did not materialize and Ukraine occasionally uses US-made weapons to target inside Russia.
What’s going on now: Yesterday, Ukraine launched a series of missile strikes using US-supplied ATACMS targeting Russia’s Belgorod region, according to claims by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Moscow reported intercepting and destroying eight ATACMS missiles, describing the strikes as an attempted escalation by Kyiv with Western support.
This all comes as Russia has significantly increased its use of drones and missiles in attacks across Ukraine, targeting critical infrastructure and civilian areas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russian forces launched over 300 attack drones and 20 missiles in the first three days of 2025 alone, a clear sign of escalating aggression. The Ukrainian military has also noted intensified Russian assaults near key cities like Pokrovsk, as Moscow appears to be ramping up efforts to disrupt supply lines and regain momentum on the battlefield.
