This week culminated with Russia using its powerful new intermediate-range Oreshnik ballistic missiles on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Atacms’ first strike on Russian territory was reported on Tuesday, when Russia said debris had fallen and caused a fire at a military facility.
But Saturday’s attack on an S-400 air defense missile battalion near Lotarevka, northwest of Kursk, may be seen as more serious. The S-400 is considered Russia’s closest missile system to the American Patriot missile system.
The Ministry of National Defense announced that three of the five Attacoms missiles were shot down, but two reached their targets, damaging the radar system and causing casualties.
It also said Monday’s second attack on the Kalino (east of Kursk) air base caused “minor damage” after one of eight missiles fired by Ukraine passed through air defenses.
“The Russian Ministry of Defense has the situation under control and is preparing retaliatory measures,” the statement added.
It shared photos of what it said was debris from an attack on an air force base.
Russian military bloggers reported the attack on Kalino on Monday.
Footage also posted on social media on Monday purported to show the moment Russian air defenses intercepted an Atacms missile elsewhere in the Kursk region, recording a bright flash in the sky above the border region.
BBC Verification confirmed that the video was real and was filmed in the city of Kursk, but could not confirm whether US-supplied missiles were the cause of the flash.
