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What Russia said after Ukraine's first ATACMS strikes
Summary
A look back at 18 October 2023, when Moscow condemned the US missile decision as Russian strikes hit Zaporizhzhia.
What did Moscow make of Ukraine's first combat use of long-range ATACMS missiles? On 18 October 2023, Russia said the US decision to supply the tactical ballistic missiles was a "grave mistake" that would have serious consequences.
The reaction followed strikes the previous day. On 17 October 2023, Ukraine launched ATACMS missiles at Russian bases in Berdiansk and Luhansk. Ukrainian forces said the attacks destroyed nine helicopters and a supply depot and killed several Russian military personnel. It was the first time Ukrainian forces had used the missiles in combat.
Strikes across Ukraine
The same day brought fresh Russian missile attacks on Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said the strikes across the country killed at least 10 people. Among them were five civilians who died when an apartment building in Zaporizhzhia was hit.
The wider context
The missile strikes came during Ukraine's counteroffensive, which began in early June 2023. It aimed to breach the front lines held by Russian forces occupying Ukrainian territory, with efforts in several directions, chiefly in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Ukraine eventually recaptured 14 villages in those two oblasts, with a total pre-war population of around 5,000.
On 18 October 2023, then, the day was defined by two developments: a sharp Russian warning aimed at Washington over the missile supply, and a new wave of Russian strikes that left civilians dead in Zaporizhzhia.
