A video has emerged on social media of a purported missile strike on a concentration of Russian troops in occupied Luhansk. A volley of four missiles allegedly struck a Russian military training and coordination center over about 90 seconds. The site was geolocated around 78 kilometers (48 miles) from the frontline near the town of Kuban. The timing is unknown. However, multiple media outlets suggested it occurred recently.
Captured by a drone camera, the roughly six minutes of footage shows the first of three explosions at around the 4-minute mark, around ten seconds after a dud or spent dispenser landing in the area. The blast was followed by a plume of smoke from the detonating submunitions. A little less than 90 seconds later another explosion takes place a short distance away, followed by another seconds later. The strike’s range and blast envelope suggest the use of the US-supplied MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System or ATACMS.
According to Ukrainian military analyst Oleksandr Musiienko, the targeted Russian troops were preparing for an attack on neighboring Kharkiv, most of which was liberated by Ukrainian forces by late 2022. Such strikes in the Luhansk region are crucial. It’s precisely in the territory of the northeastern part of the Luhansk region that Russia has been training and coordinating its units, which were specifically preparing for an escalation of hostilities in the Kharkiv region, where Russia plans to reinforce its advance. The goal is to slow down the enemy’s offensive actions. Not allowing them to deploy into combat formations. While we await more advanced weaponry, it’s crucial to use what we have, namely ATACMS, to strike the enemy in their rear and prevent them from advancing to the front line.
