Russian air defenses intercept eight US-made HIMARS rockets in Ukraine operation

HIMARS multiple launch rocket system
©EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS, archive

Russian air defense forces destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and eight rockets of US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities shot down eight rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and also destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Sofiyevka, Popovka, Golikovo, Novokrasnyanka, Kremennaya, Zhitlovka and Chervonopopovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense systems shot down an American AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missile in the sky over Makiivka in the DPR

Russian troops eliminated eight Ukrainian subversive groups in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, eight subversive/reconnaissance groups of the Ukrainian army were eliminated in areas near the settlements of Krakhmalnoye, Masyutovka, Pershotravnevoye and Timkovka in the Kharkov Region and Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian military suffered about 100 casualties in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"The enemy’s losses in that [Kupyansk] direction in the past 24 hours totaled as many as 100 Ukrainian personnel killed and wounded, two armored combat vehicles, four motor vehicles and a D-30 howitzer," the spokesman said.

In the area of the settlement of Veterinarnoye in the Kharkov Region, Russian forces wiped out an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 113th territorial defense brigade, the general added.

"In the Kupyansk direction, army aviation and artillery of the western battlegroup inflicted damage on amassed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized brigade and 103rd territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Dvurechnaya and Kotlyarovka in the Kharkov Region," he said.

Russian forces eliminated roughly 65 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, army aviation and artillery of the battlegroup Center inflicted damage on units of the Ukrainian army’s 67th and 92nd mechanized brigades and 25th airborne brigade in areas near the settlements of Chervona Dibrova and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Yampolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

"As many as 65 Ukrainian personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, two Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers and a Grad multiple rocket launcher were destroyed in that area in the past 24 hours," the general specified.

Russian forces destroyed roughly 190 Ukrainian troops in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, as many as 190 Ukrainian personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, an armored personnel carrier, three motor vehicles, a Msta-B howitzer and a US-made M777 artillery system were destroyed in the past 24 hours during the continued offensive and artillery fire of the southern battlegroup," the spokesman said.

Russian forces supported by artillery and heavy flamethrower systems struck Ukrainian army units near Ugledar and Novosyolka in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup East inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Ugledar and Novosyolka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The enemy’s losses in those areas in the past 24 hours amounted to over 60 Ukrainian personnel, two tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, two armored combat vehicles, D-20 and D-30 howitzers, and also a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, the general specified.

Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian howitzers in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed in counter-battery fire," the spokesman said.

Russian forces struck 87 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Army aviation, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 87 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 112 areas," the spokesman said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 385 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 208 helicopters, 3,132 unmanned aerial vehicles, 404 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,875 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,020 multiple rocket launchers, 4,101 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,388 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, the general specified.