Hundreds of Russian military facilities still within range of Ukraine's US-supplied ATACMS missiles – ISW

Ivashkiv Olena — Thursday, 29 August 2024, 05:57

An interactive map of known military targets in Russia. Photo: ISW

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that despite Russian forces moving their aircraft out of range of Western-supplied Storm Shadow and ATACMS missiles, many Russian military objects are still within range of Western weapons at the disposal of Ukrainian forces.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: Military analysts suggest that the West's limitations on Ukrainian strikes within Russia enable Russian forces to use rear sanctuaries deep inside Russia to support military operations against Ukraine.

The ISW notes that numerous Western media reports indicate that the US government is forbidding the UK to authorise Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles to strike military targets in Russia.

ISW experts have developed an interactive map of known military targets to show how US restrictions on the use of ATACMS missiles limit Ukraine's ability to strike critical military infrastructure in Russia.

The ISW stressed that the redeployment of Russian aircraft from 16 Russian air bases in the ATACMS area of operation does not diminish the importance of allowing Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles against hundreds of other Russian military targets

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 28 August:

Multiple reports from Western media indicate that the US government is prohibiting the United Kingdom (UK) from allowing Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles to strike military targets in Russia.
Several Russian milbloggers claimed on 28 August that the tempo of Ukrainian attacks in Kursk Oblast has slowed and that Ukrainian forces are now attempting to dig in and hold select areas they recently seized.
Ukrainian forces conducted drone strikes against oil infrastructure in Rostov and Kirov oblasts and reportedly conducted a drone strike against Voronezh Oblast overnight on 27 to 28 August.
The prominent Kremlin-linked Rybar Telegram project's continued meetings with Iraqi officials appear to be supporting Iranian-backed Iraqi efforts to gain greater control of their information and media space.
Kremlin newswire TASS will soon open an office in Iran, supporting Moscow's efforts to deepen its partnership with Tehran.
Russia's allies appear to be increasingly restricting their transactions with Russian companies and financial institutions amid ongoing concern about the impact of secondary US sanctions.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reportedly prevented a terrorist attack in the Republic of Ingushetia on 28 August.
Ukrainian forces recently regained positions in the Siversk direction.
Russian forces recently advanced southeast of Kupiansk, within Toretsk, southeast of Pokrovsk, and northeast of Vuhledar.
The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is reportedly supporting the creation of a new type of combat unit that will specialise in using and countering drones, unmanned systems, and other electronic equipment in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast.