Russian MoD: HIMARS destroyed, 200 Ukrainian soldiers eliminated

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Jul 17:41
1 Shares

The Russian Ministry of Defense reveals reports of several cases of desertion following heavy losses among the Ukrainian army ranks.

Russian MoD: More than 10 units of armored vehicles were destroyed

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that the Russian army has destroyed a launcher, as well as a transport and loading vehicle for the HIMARS multiple launch missile system used by the Ukrainian army. The MoD also announced that 200 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the process.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that "in the Krasnoarmeysk region of the Donetsk People's Republic, ground-based precision weapons have destroyed a launcher and a transport-loading vehicle for the US-made HIMARS multiple launch missile system."

According to the statement, high-precision, long-range missiles fired from the air at one of the buildings of an industrial enterprise in the city of Odessa destroyed a storage depot for Harpoon anti-ship missiles transferred by NATO countries to Ukraine.

Furthermore, the statement noted that as a result of the high-precision strikes of the air force on the temporary deployment point of the 92nd mechanized brigade in the city of Chugiev, in the Kharkov region, up to 200 personnel of the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the said formation were eliminated and more than 10 units of armored vehicles were destroyed.

Considering the heavy losses among the ranks of the Ukrainian army, desertion cases are increasing, leaving positions to unknown destinations, the statement revealed.

“Therefore, the rifle company of the 58th Battalion of the 104th Separate Regional Defense Brigade, which was practically subordinate to the commander of the 108th battalion of the 10th Mountain Offensive Brigade, in the Verkhnikaminskoye district of the Donetsk People's Republic, was completely abandoned."

Previously, the Ministry of Defense said that its forces "eliminated up to 200 members of the Kraken battalion of Ukrainian Nazi nationalists and 50 foreign mercenaries in Kharkov, northeastern Ukraine."

Earlier on July 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that "everyone should know that we have not started in earnest yet," talking about the Russian operation in Ukraine. In addition, President Putin challenged the West to attempt to defeat Russia "on the battlefield" and said that the action by Moscow in Ukraine signaled the emergence of a "multi-polar world".

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?