Russian servicemen destroyed an American HIMARS MLRS in the rear area of Ukrainian troops near Donetsk, a Russian Armed Forces unit commander told Sputnik.
Two US-made HIMARS MLRS systems were eliminated deep behind Ukrainian forces' front lines, one in the Donetsk area and the other on the border of the Kherson and Nikolayev regions.
Sputnik has obtained footage of the destruction of a HIMARS MLRS, recorded by a drone near Donetsk.
"The HIMARS MLRS was destroyed in the rear area of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the agency's interlocutor said.
The HIMARS multiple launch rocket system was developed in the United States by BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin in 1996-2000, and has been manufactured since 2003. It is based on the US Army's three-axle wheeled FMTV chassis, capable of carrying six rockets or one ATACMS operational and tactical ballistic missile. The aiming range for certain types of ammunition is up to 80 kilometers.
The launcher, as well as two other Ukrainian vehicles, was detected near a wooded area just as it apparently was being readied to fire. It was hit by an unspecified projectile, which caused the detonation of its ammo stock, as well as the uncontrolled launch of its missiles, the images show.
The explosion sparked multiple fires in the vicinity and completely obliterated the vehicle itself.
The explosion sparked multiple fires in the vicinity and completely obliterated the vehicle itself.
While no information was readily available on what exactly hit the HIMARS, the video suggests it was targeted by guided munitions fired from a Russian Tornado-S multiple rocket launcher system. The 300mm Tornado-S fills a similar niche to the HIMARS and is widely regarded as Russia’s response to the US-made platform.
HIMARS launchers, as well as their heavier, tracked counterpart the M270, have been supplied by Washington and other NATO allies to Ukraine since summer 2022. While multiple systems have been reported destroyed during the hostilities, the new video is the clearest footage to date of one being neutralized.
The systems have been widely celebrated by Ukraine as an ultimate weapon of sorts, given their ability to carry out high precision long-range strikes, while being able to promptly relocate to avoid counter-battery fire. The launchers have been systematically used by Kiev’s forces against civilian targets and critical infrastructure in Donbass and elsewhere, including with controversial anti-personnel shrapnel munitions.
Kiev loses 500 troops in Avdeyevka area over past day — Russia’s top brass
The Ukrainian military lost roughly 500 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Avdeyevka area near Donetsk over the past day, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday, reporting on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine.
Units of Russia’s Battlegroup Center continued seizing more advantageous sites and positions in the Avdeyevka area over the past day in their well-coordinated operations. They inflicted damage by firepower on the personnel and military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 24th, 31st, 47th and 61st mechanized brigades near the communities of Netailovo, Novosyolovka Pervaya and Toretsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it specified.
"They also repulsed three attacks by Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Kirovo, Berdychi and Shumy and ten counterattacks near the communities of Tonenkoye, Pervomaiskoye and Orlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost as many as 500 personnel, 4 armored combat vehicles, including a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and an M113 armored personnel carrier of US manufacture, 4 motor vehicles and a D-30 howitzer," the ministry reported.
Russian forces improve tactical position in Kupyansk area over past day
Russian forces improved their tactical position in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Western Battlegroup improved their tactical position and struck massed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 60th mechanized, 25th air assault and 68th infantry brigades near the settlements of Yampolovka and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Sverdlovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Near the settlement of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, Russian forces repulsed five attacks by units of the Ukrainian army’s 41st mechanized and 57th motorized infantry brigades, it specified.
"The enemy’s losses amounted to 35 personnel and four motor vehicles. In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a US-made M777 artillery system, a Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery gun, an Msta-B howitzer, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a Grad multiple rocket launcher," the ministry reported.
Russian forces repulse two Ukrainian counterattacks in Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces took advantageous sites and repulsed two Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Battlegroup conducted active operations, took more advantageous forward edge positions and inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 81st airmobile, 22nd, 33rd and 42nd mechanized, 92nd assault and 241st territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Novomikhailovka, Pobeda, Belogorovka, Novoye and Kurdyumovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they repelled two enemy counterattacks near the settlements of Kleshcheyevka and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Russian forces destroy 300 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces destroyed roughly 300 Ukrainian troops and four enemy armored vehicles in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"The Ukrainian army lost as many as 300 personnel, 2 tanks, 2 armored personnel carriers and 3 motor vehicles. In counter-battery fire, the following targets were destroyed: an US-made M198 howitzer, two D-20 howitzers, an Msta-B howitzer, two Gvozdika motorized artillery systems, a D-30 howitzer and a Grad multiple rocket launcher," the ministry said.
Russian forces eliminate 230 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the south Donetsk area, eliminating roughly 230 enemy troops and a UK-made air defense system over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Battlegroup East inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the 102nd and 128th territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Malinovka in the Zaporozhye Region. The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 230 personnel, 2 tanks, 2 armored combat vehicles, 6 motor vehicles, an Msta-B howitzer and a UK-made Stormer surface-to-air missile launcher," the ministry said.
Russian forces repel Ukrainian army attack in Zaporozhye area over past day
Russian forces repulsed a Ukrainian army attack in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Near the settlement of Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region, an attack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 118th mechanized brigade was repelled. The enemy’s losses amounted to 25 personnel and 3 motor vehicles," the ministry said.
In the Kherson direction, units of Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr struck massed manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 117th mechanized brigade, 38th marine infantry brigade, 121st territorial defense brigade and the 15th National Guard brigade near the communities of Sadovoye and Mikhailovka in the Kherson Region and Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region, it specified.
Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian S-300, Buk anti-aircraft missile launchers in DPR
Russian forces destroyed S-300 and Buk anti-aircraft missile launchers of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Russian forces destroyed a missile launcher of an S-300 surface-to-air missile system near the settlement of Mayaki in the DPR and a missile launcher of a Buk anti-aircraft missile system near the community of Vozdvizhenka in the DPR," the ministry said.
Over the past 24 hours, operational-tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces destroyed a Ukrainian UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) control post near the settlement of Novokalinovo in the DPR and struck enemy manpower and military hardware in 104 areas, it said.
Russian air defenses down Ukrainian MiG-29 warplane over past day
Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet and intercepted four rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 plane near the settlement of Lyubomirovka in the Nikolayev Region. During the last 24-hour period, they intercepted four HIMARS rockets," the ministry said.
Russian air defense systems also destroyed 112 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, in particular, near the settlements of Peschanoye, Nikolskoye, Staromikhailovka and Lastochkino in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Romanovskoye in the Zaporozhye Region, it specified.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 576 Ukrainian warplanes, 267 helicopters, 14,305 unmanned aerial vehicles, 479 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,360 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,233 multiple rocket launchers, 8,299 field artillery guns and mortars and 19,365 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.
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