US-supplied ATACMS missiles forcing Russia to relocate assets, alter tactics, Ukraine says

The provision of long-range ATACMS missiles by Washington, with which the Defense Forces have already successfully struck Russian airfields, in particular, in Luhansk, "significantly change the rules of the game", since now the Russians are forced to withdraw their warehouses and airfields deep into their territory, Illya Yevlash, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated on national telethon.

Russia has not given up the full occupation of Luhansk Oblast, and this axis remains one of the priorities for the enemy, while the appearance of ATACMS will complicate the provision of occupation forces and undermine their logistics.

"The appearance of such a powerful weapon as ATACMS is a significant game changer, which, for example, HIMARS used to be, then Patriot," he said.

According to Yevlash, due to the presence of these long-range weapons in service with the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the aggressor will have to stretch its warehouses and command posts, which will lead to an increase in decision-making time and approach distance to the battlefield.

The spokesman added that the Russian military would be forced to spend time looking for new places to station warehouses, which would put "a heavy strain on their logistics system."

According to the New York Times, the United States handed over about 20 ATACMS missiles to Kyiv.