Ukraine War

Ukraine says Kherson HIMARS strikes successful, could signal counter-attack

Ukrainian serviceman walks in a trench on a position held by the Ukrainian army between the southern cities of Mykolaiv and Kherson on June 12, 2022. Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images

Monday, Ukrainian officials said that nighttime attacks using U.S.-supplied HIMARS weaponry in the Russian-occupied city of Kherson were successful and could pave the way for a liberation offensive.

The "Kakhovka" task force credited High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) for assisting its troops in destroying nearly all of the large bridges in the southern Kherson region.

"The situation in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region is extremely difficult. Big and scary HIMARS have destroyed almost all the big bridges... " it said in a Facebook statement that only pedestrian crossings remain.

According to the task force, the decision significantly restricts Russia's access to critical supplies of weaponry, military equipment, and troops following the annexation of Crimea.

"For Ukraine, this is a brilliant chance to return its territories," the statement stated.

Since the beginning of March, when it became the first major city to be conquered by Russian troops since the start of the war, Kherson has been nearly under the hands of Russian forces.

Strategically significant bridges for Russia, like the Kakhovka and Antonovsky bridges, have come under siege as Ukraine attempts to reclaim the city.

In recent weeks, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that his soldiers were progressing "step by step" toward the complete liberation of Kherson, Ukrainian artillery, special forces, and partisans attacked important railways and bridges, destroying key Russian centers.

Monday, Serhiy Khlan, representative of the Kherson Regional Council, announced on Facebook that Ukraine has effectively breached the "first line of defense of the Russians on the Kherson front."

"Last night and in the first half of this day alone, Ukrainian Army strikes hit Kherson, Antonivka, Oleshky, Nova Kakhovka, Liubymivka, and Beryslav," Khlan said.

According to Russia's independent Interfax news agency, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, a Russia's defense ministry spokesperson, stated on Monday that its forces had intercepted HIMARS strikes in the Kherson region.

Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante announced Friday that the United States is increasing HIMARS production to assist Ukraine.

In its fight against Russia, Ukraine "effectively employing" HIMARS, according to a Department of Defense press release.

"As we continue providing security assistance to Ukraine, we are working with industry to accelerate production of critical weapons and systems," said LaPlante.

LaPlante added that U.S. officials "will continue to closely consult with Ukraine on capability needs–and as President Biden has said, our goal is straightforward: The United States wants to see a democratic, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine with the means to deter and defend itself against further aggression."

Publish : 2022-08-30 09:25:00

Give Your Comments