The Pantsir system repelled an ATACMS missile strike in the Bryansk Region

In the Bryansk Region, S-400 air defense missile systems and Pantsir air defense missile and cannon systems shot down five ATACMS missiles launched by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and damaged another one. This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on November 19.

"Tonight at 3:25 the enemy struck a facility on the territory of the Bryansk region with six ballistic missiles. As a result of an anti-missile battle by combat crews of S-400 SAMs and Pantsir SAMs, five missiles were shot down and one was damaged," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry specified that the data that the AFU struck exactly by American ATACMS missiles was confirmed.

Fragments of the damaged missile fell on the technical territory of a military facility in the Bryansk region. A fire broke out, but it was promptly extinguished. The Russian Defense Ministry indicated that there were no casualties or damage.

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Earlier, on November 17, The New York Times reported that US President Joe Biden had allegedly authorized Ukraine to use US long-range missiles to strike Russia. The Le Figaro newspaper said at the same time that the French and British authorities had made a similar decision, but then removed this information from the article. EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell said afterwards that on November 18-19 the issue of lifting restrictions on strikes deep into Russia with European weapons would be discussed.

At the same time, on November 18, US Deputy National Security Advisor to the President John Feiner, speaking to reporters, did not confirm that the White House had given such permission to Kiev. The official noted that Washington is guided by the situation on the battlefield when making political decisions.

Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, commenting on this possible authorization by Biden, said that the outgoing American president, for a number of reasons, no longer has anything to lose. Nebenzya urged the West to forget about the idea of defeating Russia on the battlefield, because such a development is impossible.