U.S. ATACMS Used Against Russia for First Time, Video Appears to Show

U.S.-made long-range ATACMS missiles have been used by Ukrainian forces against Russia for the first time, new footage appears to show, marking the first time the long-awaited weapons have made their mark on the battlefield.

A “small number” of ATACMS missiles were “secretly sent to Ukraine in recent days,” The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Ukraine has long petitioned Washington for the long-range surface-to-surface missiles, which experts say would beef up Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities to take out valuable Russian targets far behind the front lines. Reports and footage of ATACMS apparently being used in Ukraine comes as Kyiv braces for tougher fall and winter conditions after slow and hard-won gains in its summer counteroffensive in eastern and southern Ukraine.

ATACMS, also known as the Army Tactical Missile System, can be fired from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) that arrived in Ukraine last June.

Washington had been reluctant to pledge the systems, despite the United Kingdom and France providing their long-range, air-launched Storm Shadow and SCALP cruise missiles.

This is a developing story and will be updated shortly.