IANS | 04 May, 2024
Russian air defence systems destroyed four US-supplied long-range
ATACMS missiles fired at the Crimean Peninsula by Ukrainian forces, the
Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday morning.
The scope and impact of the attack on Crimea, which was illegally
annexed by Moscow in 2014, was initially unclear. Kyiv has yet to
comment publicly on the claim.
Russia, which has been waging an
all-out war against Ukraine for more than two years, often only reports
alleged successions of its own air defences in the case of Ukrainian
drone or missile attacks.
Last Tuesday, Ukraine attacked the
Russian military in Crimea with missiles recently supplied by the United
States. Independent media reported strikes on three military bases in
Crimea, resulting in several casualties.
Washington had announced
in recent weeks that it would also be delivering even longer-range
ATACMS missiles to Ukraine as part of a new weapons package. In previous
deliveries, the range of missiles of this type was limited to 165
kilometres.
Crimea is a key staging ground for Russian forces,
with supplies of soldiers, weapons and ammunition channelled through the
peninsula that juts into the Black Sea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to recover all territory seized by Russia, including Crimea.