Russian forces demolish American-provided HIMARS system in Ukraine
Date
6/26/2024 7:40:12 AM
(MENAFN) A recent video circulating online has captured what appears to be a successful Russian military strike on a HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) multiple rocket launcher provided by the United States to Ukrainian forces. The footage, posted on a Telegram channel on Thursday, purportedly shows the destruction of the HIMARS near the village of Khotomlya, situated east of Kharkov, a city in Ukraine.
According to reports accompanying the video, a Russian surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) identified the United States-made HIMARS system from above. Subsequently, the launcher was targeted and struck by an Iskander short-range ballistic missile, resulting in a significant explosion in a wooded area where the HIMARS was positioned.
The HIMARS system has been prominently featured in recent geopolitical developments, particularly since late May when the Biden administration reportedly authorized Ukrainian forces to utilize United States-supplied weaponry for strikes extending beyond the Kharkov Region into Russia's Belgorod Region. This expanded permission was reiterated by White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, affirming that Ukraine's operational range with United States-supplied arms covers areas where Russian forces are engaged in border crossings aimed at seizing Ukrainian territory.
Kiev has received a substantial number of HIMARS launchers from the United States and several European Union countries in 2022, positioning them as precision tools to target high-value assets. However, concerns have arisen over the use of HIMARS munitions after instances where debris from these strikes has been recovered at sites identified as civilian targets, raising questions about the strategic implications and humanitarian impact of such military engagements.
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