Russia has vowed to retaliate after claiming to have intercepted eight U.S.-made ATACMS missiles fired by Ukraine on Saturday morning. The missiles, which have a range of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles), are seen by Moscow as a significant escalation in the conflict.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, the country’s air defenses also shot down 72 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in addition to the missiles. The ministry stated that “these actions by the Kyiv regime, supported by Western curators, will not go unanswered.”
The ministry also reported that drones were destroyed in the Leningrad region in the northwest and one in Kursk, a region targeted by a surprise Ukrainian attack last summer.
The use of ATACMS missiles was approved by outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden in November, following Russia’s reported deployment of North Korean troops to escalate the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to respond with Russia’s new nuclear-capable ballistic missile, “Oreshnik,” and has suggested targeting Kyiv to test Western-supplied air defense systems.
In November, the “Oreshnik” was used for the first time, striking Ukraine’s Dnipro region. Ukrainian drone strikes in the Leningrad region also led to temporary airport restrictions in St. Petersburg, according to Russian state media. Leningrad Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko described the January 4 attacks as record-breaking, with four UAVs destroyed in his region.
Ukrainian security official Andrii Kovalenko confirmed a strike on a seaport in Leningrad, describing it as an “economic and military lifeline for Russia in isolation.” Meanwhile, Russia launched 81 drones at Ukraine overnight, including Iranian-made Shahed drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force Command. While 34 drones were intercepted, others caused damage in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
Russia also claimed further advances on the battlefield, capturing the village of Nadiya in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region and exerting pressure on Pokrovsk in Donetsk. Ukraine, already struggling with losses on the eastern front, faces additional concerns about the incoming Trump administration, which may reduce military aid. Trump has pledged to end the conflict, raising uncertainty for Kyiv’s strategy moving forward.
