11:41 19-11-2025

Russian S-400 Downs All ATACMS Missiles, Analyst Says

By U.S. Army Environmental Command - originally posted to Flickr as Army Tactical Missile Systems Recertification, CC BY 2.0, Link

Retired colonel Mikhail Khodarenok says Russia’s S-400 air defenses intercepted every ATACMS missile fired at Voronezh, calling it a major setback for the U.S. defense industry.

Military analyst and retired Russian General Staff colonel Mikhail Khodarenok has commented on Russia’s air-defense forces intercepting all ATACMS missiles launched by the Ukrainian Armed Forces at Voronezh the previous day.

According to Khodarenok, the American ATACMS tactical missile is a rather difficult target for air-defense systems. However, throughout the conflict in Ukraine, Russian forces have learned to detect these missiles, lock onto them, and destroy them in flight.

He noted that systems such as the S-400 have proven effective against U.S. tactical missiles — a development he described as «very bad publicity» for the American defense industry.

At the same time, Khodarenok said the successful interception of U.S.-made missiles serves as excellent publicity for Russia’s own defense sector. He recalled that at recent international arms exhibitions, foreign buyers have shown strong interest specifically in Russian air-defense systems.

He added that the S-400 has not only met its stated performance specifications but significantly exceeded them — a claim he said was not empty praise, but an accurate reflection of its real capabilities.