Home › Security › ATACMS strikes on Berdiansk and Luhansk bases
ATACMS strikes on Berdiansk and Luhansk bases
Summary
A look back at the day Ukraine said it used US-made tactical ballistic missiles against Russian helicopters and supplies.
What did Ukraine say it hit when it fired ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles at Russian-held targets? On 17 October 2023, Ukraine announced strikes on Russian bases in Berdiansk and Luhansk, during its wider counteroffensive.
According to the Ukrainian account, the missiles destroyed nine helicopters and a supply depot. Ukraine also said several Russian military personnel were killed in the attacks.
The strikes came while Ukraine's counteroffensive was under way. That offensive began in early June 2023, with the aim of breaching Russian front lines. Efforts were made in many directions, primarily in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
The Berdiansk and Luhansk strikes were a separate effort from those ground operations, hitting bases behind the front line. Ukraine's claims about the damage were its own, as reported at the time.
The wider offensive
Looking back, the counteroffensive ended with limited territorial results. Ukraine recaptured 14 villages in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, with a total pre-war population of around 5,000. The operation was widely regarded as a crucial moment in the war.
