Click to see full-size image
Ukrainian forces launched one of the heaviest attacks on the Russian rear areas. On the night of October 17, the AFU launched a missile strike at the airfield near Berdyansk, Zaporozhie region, where Russian helicopters were based.
Footage from the airfield confirmed large fire in the area and damage to Russian aircraft. Russian sources that are close to the military also confirmed significant losses in military equipment and some losses in people.
According to preliminary reports, at least six missiles were fired, three of which were shot down by Russian air defense forces. As a result, an ammunition depot was hit, and several helicopters were damaged to varying degrees. The Russian military officials are yet to comment on the attack. The Ukrainian media are likely to share the satellite imagery confirming the damage.
According to the local sources, fire was seen at the airfield for several hours and unusual sound of explosions was heard at the moment of the attack.
Berdyansk airfield in September 2023
Apparently, the AFU used the MGM-140B ATACMS Block 1A (M39A1) ballistic cluster missile that were recently supplied by the US. This missile contains 275-300 M74 submunitions that were reportedly found in the area of the attack.
Spent missile parts of American MGM-140A ATACMS missiles were found on the territory of the airfield in Berdyansk. The missiles have a 165 km range, but were carrying three times more submunitions on board, 950 instead of 275.
Click to see full-size image
Click to see full-size image
Click to see full-size image
Click to see full-size image
Click to see full-size image
According to some Russian sources, along with ATACMS, the Ukrainian military launched cheaper Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) also supplied by Kiev’s friends fom NATO.
Both GLSDB and ATACMS can be fired by ground-based MLRS M270 and HIMARS systems already in service with the Ukrainian military. The range of both exceeds 150 km. The most likely launch area was the Zaporozhye region.
In late September, several media reported that Joe Biden assured Vladimir Zelensky about the imminent transfer of the first ‘small batch’ of ATACMS. On the afternoon of October 17, Zelensky thanked “some partners” for supplying some “effective weapons,” obviously speaking about ATACMS.
