Overview
- Ukraine’s General Staff said on Nov. 18 it employed ATACMS against military targets in Russia and did not release details of the operation.
- The Wall Street Journal previously reported that a Pentagon review process empowered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to block long-range strikes, restricting such operations since late spring.
- Kyiv framed the strike as a significant step in defending sovereignty and signaled continued use of long-range capabilities.
- Local accounts from a Ukrainian Telegram channel described explosions and air-defense activity in Russia’s Voronezh, a claim not independently verified.
- The U.S. allowed strikes on military targets in Russia starting in November 2024, after earlier deliveries of ATACMS began with shorter-range versions in fall 2023 and upgraded models in spring 2024.