Ukraine’s new U.S.-supplied high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) have “significantly slowed” Russia’s advance into the country, according to the Ukrainian government’s defense minister.
“These systems allowed us to destroy approximately 30 command stations and ammunition depots when we started using just eight HIMARS systems,” Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Tuesday.
“This significantly slowed down Russia’s advance and drastically reduced the intensity of its artillery bombardments,” Reznikov said in a video speech to the American think tank Atlantic Council.
However, Ukrainian forces need more precision artillery systems and long-range Western rockets to contain Russia and launch a counteroffensive, Reznikov added.
“We are grateful to our partners for the HIMARS and… M270,” he said, referring to the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) that the UK has committed to supplying Ukraine.
“To effectively contain the enemy, we need at least 50 of these systems, as our front line is nearly 2,500 kilometers long,” he added.
“For an effective counteroffensive, we would need at least 100, I think. This could become a game-changer on the battlefield in this case.”
In recent weeks, Ukraine has been using HIMARS and other Western-made weapons to target Russian ammunition depots in Moscow-controlled territory. Rockets launched from HIMARS damaged a major bridge crossing the Dnieper River in the Kherson region on Wednesday, TASS reported.
Reznikov urged Ukraine’s allies to test more of their equipment in the country.
“Ukraine is now essentially a testing ground,” he said.
“Many weapons are now being field tested in the real conditions of battle against the Russian army… We are interested in testing modern systems in the fight against the enemy and we are inviting weapons manufacturers to test their new products here.”
“I think for our partners in Poland, the United States, France or Germany, it’s a good chance to test their equipment. Or our partners in Turkey,” she said. “Give us the tools, let’s finish the job.”
Source: CNN Brasil
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