Russian claims of destroying Ukrainian HIMARS false -Pentagon

Authored by reuters.com and submitted by Espressodimare
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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu delivers a speech during an expanded meeting of the Defence Ministry Board in Moscow, Russia December 21, 2021. Sputnik/Mikhail Tereshchenko/Pool via REUTERS

Aug 2 (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Tuesday denied Russian claims that the country had destroyed six U.S.-made HIMARS missile systems since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, according to Interfax, said on Tuesday that Russia had destroyed the HIMARS after Moscow deployed tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine on Feb. 24.

"We are aware of these latest claims by Minister Shoigu and they are again patently false," Todd Breasseale, the Pentagon's acting spokesman, said.

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"What is happening, however, is that the Ukrainians are employing with devastating accuracy and effectiveness, each of the fully accounted for precision missile systems the U.S., our Allies, and partners have provided them to defend against Russia’s brutal, criminal invasion," Breasseale added.

Russia regularly claims it has hit HIMARS, but has yet to show proof.

Shoigu said Russia had also destroyed five anti-ship Harpoon missile launch systems and 33 M777 howitzers since Moscow deployed tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine.

Reuters could not verify the accuracy of the reports.

Ukraine officials have said they operate up to a dozen HIMARS systems, whose accuracy and long range have allowed Kyiv to reduce Russia's artillery advantage.

Reporting by Reuters Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington Editing by Andrew Heavens and Matthew Lewis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

DepartmentSudden5234 on August 3rd, 2022 at 11:34 UTC »

Even their lies are being destroyed by HIMARS.

TheSorge on August 3rd, 2022 at 10:29 UTC »

If Russia did actually destroy any, there would be pictures and videos all over the damn place. So far the shit they've claimed are HIMARS include a logging truck, an ambulance Humvee, standard Oshkosh trucks, and literally the second story of some random-ass building.

timelyparadox on August 3rd, 2022 at 10:02 UTC »

The beuty of these systems is that US can perfectly tell where they are and where they are shooting so every time russia does shit like this it is easy to check for pentagon.