Russian sources continue discussion of HIMARS strikes, including the Luhansk ammunitions depot strike last night. Here’s a brief summary of various mentions of the strike from the past 12 hours. As we can see, many sources throw in conflicting information, with some admitting the strike was successful, while others claiming how the air defence intercepted most if not all of the rockets.
Igor Girkin aka Igor Strelkov openly slams Russian command for transporting Tochka-U into so-called L/DPR without camouflage:
At night, Ukrs destroyed an air defence base near Luhansk.
Meanwhile on the internet – unique shots of how in broad daylight without any disguise an echelon with Tockha-U equipment is moving through the Tula Oblast in the southern direction. I understand that camouflaging tanks and APCs, especially when Ministry of Defence has absolutely no covers or even mask nets at disposal, is not that necessary. But missile complexes (even if outdated, but still capable) is a primary target for the enemy. And once they take them “under control” with space reconnaissance tools, our “dear western partners” are unlikely to “lose” them. Therefore, one should not be surprised if (or rather – when) the newly formed units of “Tochkas” are destroyed by more long-range HIMARS of the enemy at the deployment stage or shortly after.
Ambassador of the so-called LPR in Russia Miroshnik claims that all of the missiles fired at Luhansk were intercepted:
The night strike at Luhansk was carried out by a series of missiles.
Not a single missile reached Luhansk. They fell or were shot down on the approach to the city. Fragments of missiles, explosions and fires are recorded in areas of Aleksandrovka, Teplichnoye, Rodakovo.
The modification of the launched missile is now being identified by experts of the JCCC of LPR, but according to preliminary data the strike was carried out with Tochka-U complexes from the positions of Ukrainian militants around Chasov Yar city, 100 kilometers away.
https://t.me/denazi_UA/15129
Head of LPR Pasechnik claims that MLRS HIMARS pose a threat to the LPR, but there is no reason to panic.
Experts believe that HIMARS is not a difficult target for air defence. Yesterday Ukrainian Armed Forces shelled Luhansk from the direction of Bakhmut at 23:35, using MLRS HIMARS (9 missiles).
There is no information about casualties and scale of destruction.
Nevertheless, according to the head of the LPR the danger remains as the range of the missiles is long, and even the best air defence can miss a certain percentage of missiles.
Telegram channel Rybar, similarly to Strelkov admits the strike was carried out at the ammunitions depot in Luhansk in a brief note:
At night time, Ukrainian formations carried out mass strikes with foreign weapons at Luhansk. According to preliminary data, the ammunitions depot was destroyed. A number of rockets was shot down by air defence.
Aside from this, UAF also continued shelling of DPR cities: strikes at Donetsk, Makeevka, Horlivka, Yasinovataya. There were victims among civilians.
So-called LPR air defence expert describes ways Ukrainian Armed Forces are masking the launch of HIMARS by carrying out other MLRS strikes thus increasing the chances of a successful hit by the American system.
Air Defence expert said how Ukrainian nazis are carrying out strikes at civilian facilities, attempting to avoid air defence.
According to him, Ukraine launches missile complexes of various MLRS types, covering the strikes of the most powerful missiles. Thus Ukrainian nazis are firing from Grad, Uragan, Smerch, thereby masking HIMARS missiles from air defence.
The expert explained that both Tockha-U and even Tu-141 and Tu-143 UAVs can be used as decoys.
Reminder: last night Luhansk was attacked with MLRS HIMARS, at the same time several Tochka-U missiles were launched at Luhansk. Leonid Pasechnik said that air defence dealt with the problem well but the threat to civilians remains, mainly due to long range of the American MLRS.
