Ukraine attacks Russian mainland with US ATACMS... Russia intercepts 5 out of 6 missiles

Test launch scene of the U.S. long-range missile ATACMS. [AFP=Yonhap News]

Ukrainian forces attacked Russian mainland early on the 19th (local time) using long-range ATACMS missiles received from the United States.

According to AFP, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that on that day, Ukrainian forces attacked a military facility in Bryansk, a western border area of Russia, with six ATACMS missiles.

This marks Ukraine's first attack on Russian mainland since the U.S. government recently authorized Ukraine to strike Russian territory with long-range missiles.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said, "At 3:25 a.m., enemy forces attacked a facility in the Bryansk region with six ATACMS missiles."

It added, "Five out of the six missiles were intercepted, and one caused damage."

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that missile debris fell on the military facility but there were no human or material casualties.