GENICHESK, October 17. /TASS/. Two civilians have been injured in a missile strike on Skadovsk in the Kherson Region, the region’s governor, Vladimir Saldo, has said. Apparently, the Ukrainian forces used ATACMS missiles of US manufacture, the governor's press service has told TASS.
"Today, the terrorist Kiev regime shelled, according to preliminary data, the town of Skadovsk with recently obtained US long-range missiles. Two civilians suffered light wounds, not dangerous to life or health. Both received first aid at the hospital. Stationary treatment was not required. Nearby houses and public buildings were damaged insignificantly," Saldo wrote on his Telegram channel.
He noted that after a shelling of Novaya Kakhovka with cluster munitions a private house burned down. Its residents survived only by a miracle. The roofs and facades of neighboring houses were damaged with shrapnel. Power supply was disrupted.
"All emergency response services are working at the scene with precautions. The elimination of damage has begun. Soldiers from the group Dnepr have been taking measures to ensure the security of communities on the left bank," he added.
ATACMS missiles
The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday quoted its sources as saying that a small number of long-range ATACMS missiles had been smuggled to Ukraine from the US.
The US has repeatedly stated that it is impossible to transfer ATACMS tactical missiles to the Ukrainian military. However, by the end of 2022, Washington’s stance began to change. Britain's The Times reported the Pentagon's "tacit consent" to more decisive and aggressive attempts by the Ukrainian military to carry out strikes on Russian territory. Another flurry of speculations about the possible transfer of ATACMS to Ukraine followed in September, when ABC reported the missiles might be included in a new package of US military support for Kiev. Reuters quoted sources as saying that the US presidential administration was close to sending ATACMS armed with cluster warheads to Ukraine. However, on September 21, US presidential national security aide Jake Sullivan said that US President Joe Biden had decided to deny Kiev these long-range missiles for the time being.