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Op-Ed

Russian MoD announces destruction of first two Ukrainian HIMARS rocket launchers (Video)

During the MoD’s daily briefing on the special military operation in Ukraine, Lieutenant General Igor Yevgenyevich Konashenkov said that the launchers were destroyed near the settlement of Malotaranivka in Donetsk.

  • One of the videos released by the MoD during the briefing was said to show the pinpoint strike that destroyed the two HIMARS launchers. However, this is yet to be confirmed.
  • Kiev forces received the first batch of HIMARS launchers from the US late on in June.

The batch is a part of eight launchers the US has promised to supply.

The HIMARS supplied to Ukraine are armed with M30/M31 series GMLRS precision-guided rockets, which have a range of more than 70 kilometers.

GMLRS rockets are guided by a GPS-aided inertial navigation system and a have a circular error probable of one meter. Each launcher can be loaded with a pod of six rockets.

Ukraine will receive other systems that can fire GMLRS rockets.

The UK will provide three M270B1 MRLS launchers, Norway will supply three outdated M270 launchers which will be upgraded in the UK and Germany will supply three M270A1 MARS II launchers.

Kiev forces have been actively using the HIMARS against both military and civilian targets in areas held by the Russian military and its allies.

  • Just a few days before the Russian MoD’s announcement, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released footage showing a battery consisting of three HIMARS launchers moving and firing just a few kilometers away from the frontline in Zaporizhia.

The destruction of some of Ukraine’s new HIMARS launchers is not surprising. While the system is highly capable, it is possible to locate and destroy just like any other land vehicle.

Source: SOUTHFRONT