Russia says downed 8 US-supplied ATACMS missiles

MOSCOW: Russia said on Saturday it had shot down eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles, whose use Moscow has warned could spark a hypersonic ballistic missile attack on central Kyiv.

ATACMS missiles have a maximum range of 190 miles (300 kilometres) according to publicly available data.

“Air defence systems downed eight ATACMS US-made missiles and 72 drones,” the Russian defence forces told news agencies without specifying whether there were any casualties or damage.

Five killed in latest Russian, Ukrainian attacks

Outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration has supplied long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine which can penetrate inside Russia, provoking retaliation from Moscow which has responded with its new hypersonic missile.