Ukrainian strikes in Bryansk: ATACMS missile impact revealed
In the Bryansk Oblast, a series of powerful explosions suggest the deployment of potent weapons such as the MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles. This is not the first time this weapon has been utilised in the Bryansk region. Here is what the Ukrainians might have been targeting and with what.
On Russian Telegram channels, there is a wealth of information about strong explosions in the Bryansk Oblast. Additionally, the first recordings are emerging, indicating that the Ukrainians are using something with considerable destructive power. In terms of the Ukrainian arsenal, these could be Storm Shadow cruise missiles or MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles.
It is worth noting that the Bryansk Oblast was already shelled with ATACMS in November 2024. Some analysts, using geolocated points from online recordings, suggest that the target might have been the nearby 120th GRAU arsenal.
Another possibility could be the chemical plants in Bryansk, named in honour of the 50th anniversary of the USSR in the village of Selco, which are involved in the production of rocket fuel. In any event, confirmation will have to wait until satellite images of the region or the targeted facilities are available.
MGM-140 ATACMS — Old technology from the USA, the nightmare of Russians
Ukraine is effectively using American MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles, which were developed in the 1990s. So far, Ukrainians have mainly utilised M39 missiles, characterised by a range of 161 kilometres and containing 950 M74 APAM bomblets. They have targeted systems like the S-300/400 batteries or training grounds, and targets in Bryansk Oblast are within their range.
There is also the possibility that Ukrainians have recently received M39A1 versions, which can cover a distance of up to 299 kilometres and are additionally equipped with satellite navigation as a supplement to inertial navigation. Alternatively, they could be models from the M48, M57, or M57E1 series, which are equipped with a heavy WAU-23/B warhead, weighing about 200 kilograms, making them better suited for destroying fortified structures.
An advantage of ATACMS missiles is their ability to reach speeds of up to Mach 3, or 3,700 kilometres per hour. Such high speed combined with the short distance means that even the latest Russian anti-ballistic systems, like the S-400 Triumf, struggle to intercept them.
