Russia claims to have destroyed 16 HIMARS missiles during its military operation in Ukraine

"Over the past 24 hours, air defense forces have shot down 15 missiles of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system in the Korobki, Vesyoloye, Antonovka, Novaya Kakhovka, Tokarevka and Rakovka areas of Kherson, and destroyed one Olkha missile near Novaya Kakhovka and two HARM anti-radar missiles in the Antonovka area of ​​Kherson," the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman announced.

HIMARS rocket artillery system. Photo: Reuters

According to Mr. Igor Konashenkov, "in the past 24 hours, Russian air defense systems also destroyed 6 UAVs in the Grakovo area in Kharkov, Novochervonoye in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic and in Staromayorskoye, Urozhainoye, Dokuchayevsk in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.

In total, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 313 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 157 helicopters, 2,151 UAVs, 379 surface-to-air systems, 5,376 tanks and other armored vehicles, 861 missiles for multiple launch rocket systems, 3,449 artillery pieces and mortars, and 6,277 special military vehicles since the start of the military operation in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Southern Command said it destroyed 31 Russian tanks in an attack. Ukraine also asserted that it wanted to retake the Crimean Peninsula and was using US-supplied HIMARS rocket artillery systems to carry out counterattacks.

Earlier, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov commented that Washington's decision to continue supplying weapons to Kiev has made the country become a party to the current conflict. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Konstantin Vorontsov also warned that the US's continued provision of weapons and intelligence to Ukraine is "pushing the situation to the dangerous limit of a direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO"./.