Ukraine may strike with ATACMS or Storm Shadow at Rostov region - WSJ
Ukraine may launch another long-range missile strike at the Rostov region of the Russian Federation, where many facilities that could be targeted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are located.
According to Censor.NET, The Wall Street Journal reports.
According to the publication, Russian airfields, ammunition depots, and training grounds are no longer safe after the allies authorized Ukraine to strike targets in Russia. Hundreds of targets are now within range of missiles that are more powerful than the long-range drones used by Ukraine.
The Institute for the Study of War found about 200 military targets within range of ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles. ISW analyst George Barros notes that this is only a part of the targets. According to him, Ukraine can use intelligence data to attack headquarters and other facilities that change location.
"The elimination of a brigade or division headquarters can create a mess for several days for hundreds of Russian soldiers," Barros said.
The publication believes that one of the largest concentrations of targets is located in the Rostov region. At least four airports there are within range of Western missiles, although some of them are civilian.
"Rostov is the landing point for many troops, who are transported by large military aircraft, equipped, loaded onto buses and driven to the occupied east of Ukraine. A strike on the region could be devastating and scatter a key staging area for Russian troops," the WSJ writes.
The authors of the publication emphasize that it has not been possible to establish whether the United States has imposed restrictions on the types of targets or regions that Ukraine can choose for attacks.
Explosions in the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation
Earlier it was reported that on the night of November 19, the 67th arsenal of the Russian GRU was hit in Bryansk Oblast, and in Rostov Oblast, local authorities reported a drone attack. Subsequently, the General Staff officially confirmed that an ammunition depot in the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation had been hit.
Yuriy Butusov, editor-in-chief of Censor.NET, said that after Biden's authorization, for the first time in history, the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck a military facility in Russia with US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that on Tuesday at 3:25 am, Ukraine allegedly fired six ballistic missiles at a facility in Bryansk. It clarified that American-made ATACMS missiles were used in the attack.
Authorization for strikes on Russian territory
As a reminder, current US President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to launch long-range ATACMS missiles at Russian territory.
CNN noted that Biden's authorization to fire long-range missiles at Russia would complicate Trump's plans for a truce.
Axios writes that Biden's lifting of restrictions on long-range strikes applies only to the Kursk region of Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Ukraine's use of long-range ATACMS missiles to attack Russian territory would mean "direct participation of the United States and its satellites in hostilities against Russia."
On November 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the United States had authorized Ukraine to strike Russian territory with ATACMS ballistic missiles. However, he refused to confirm or deny the attack on the Bryansk region of Russia.
