Ukraine hits long-range SAM system in Russia with US weapon

The video and images are undated, but Spy Dossier said the attack took place on Sunday.

These images do not show any vestige of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) munitions, which have a range of approximately 50 miles.

The war zone could not independently verify that HIMARS-launched GMLRS were involved in this attack, although it is a weapon of choice based on what we know about the range and target type. It would also fit with the White House's new policy of being able to use U.S. weapons to strike in Russia, near the Kharkiv region, against direct threats to Ukraine, including long-range weapons systems. .

The Pentagon referred questions to the Ukrainian armed forces, which have not yet issued a statement. However, Spy Dossier, other Russian Telegram channels and Ukrainian media reported that the attacks were carried out by GMLRS. The Russian deputy foreign minister did not cite any specific systems, but warned against the use of American weapons in Russia.

“The video shows the result of the defeat of the S-300/400 air defense system in the Belgorod region,” Spy Dossier reported. “The strike was carried out using the HIMARS MLRS.”

“My friends, we have received bad news from the Belgorod region,” Russian channel Kremlin Secrets Telegram reported on Monday. “There is an enemy strike. Two S-400 air defense systems were seriously damaged. The strike was carried out with Western-style weapons. Preliminary – HIMARS.

“According to our information, these facilities were used to strike Kharkiv and other populated areas of the border zone,” Kremlin Secrets added. “Additionally, unfortunately, the radar and many ancillary equipment were lost. Please note that we have verified the incident information in detail. Our interlocutors claim that after the attack on the air defense systems, one of the conscripts went missing. Two officers died.

The SAM system was staffed by Russian conscripts, Kremlin Secrets reported.

“Belgorod has already been attacked,” said an aide to Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, according to Kremlin secrets. “And now that the Ukrainian armed forces have received authorization to strike us with Western weapons, they will come more often. »

The attack sparked an angry response from Moscow.

“We warn American politicians against their miscalculations, which could have fatal consequences,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday. according to Reuters. “For unknown reasons, they underestimate the severity of the resistance they might encounter. Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken out on this subject several times.”

As we have often noted, Ukraine prioritized striking these SAM systems for two main reasons. The first is to degrade Russian air defenses, making it easier to hit targets. These long-range air defense systems threaten Ukrainian aircraft and stand-off weapons operations within a radius of up to 250 miles, depending on the variant. Additionally, with intense fighting across the border from where this system is located, it threatens Ukrainian planes dropping glide bombs and other strikes across the lines.

The second is that Russia uses missiles fired by these systems as long-range strike weapons, including shootings on Kharkiv. You can read everything about this secondary application of these systems here.

This particular system, so close to the border, also lies between Ukrainian-controlled territory and a key air conduit for the long-range, one-way attack drones that constantly strike Russia all the way to Moscow. Belgorod Oblast, where the SAM was hit, is already the main area targeted by Ukrainian drones. Removing this system would help increase the survivability of these drones. Now that Western weapons can be used against targets in this region of Russia, cruise missiles that could be used will also be threatened by these SAM systems.

With the upcoming arrival of the F-16s in Ukraine, an even more intense integrated campaign of suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses will likely be conducted so that these aircraft can be as effective as possible in the conflict.

Regardless, the first attack on Russian soil using US-supplied munitions apparently took place on Saturday, also in Belgorod Oblast.

“Ukrainian armed forces used American Himars MLRS for the first time to shell the Belgorod region,” Russian channel Belgorod No. 1 Telegram reported on Sunday. “The Ministry of Defense reported that 23 HIMARS shells were shot down over the territory of the Russian Federation over the past 24 hours. It is not known exactly how many there were in our region, but one of the shells was found in Chebekino.

This channel, however, produced no evidence of a GMLRS strike. The war zone could not independently verify this strike or whether any of the GMLRS munitions were intercepted.

The first images of GMLRS remnants in Belgorod emerged on June 1 in an attack believed to have been launched the day before, just hours after Biden authorized their use in Russia.

The first video of the alleged HIMARS launches in Russia began appearing on social media on May 31.

On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that while he was grateful to be able to use HIMARS in Russia near Kharkiv, longer-range weapons should be allowed to strike military airfields deeper inside the country. invading country.

So far, this expansion of authorizations for the use of weapons supplied by the United States already appears to be a reality. have a positive impact on the intense situation in Kharkiv for Ukraine.

On Monday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters including The war zonethat nothing is set in stone regarding the future use of the munitions donated by the United States.

While the United States' ban on Ukraine using [Army Tactical Missile System] ATACMS or long-range strikes inside Russia “have not changed” for now, Kirby left the door open for future adjustments to this policy.

“As you know, at every stage of this war, as the war evolved and battlefield conditions changed, we evolved and we modified our support for Ukraine,” Kirby said. “I wouldn't expect the general approach to be any different. In the coming weeks and months we'll see more of this. [sent to Ukraine]”.

Future decisions on what U.S. weapons Ukraine can use in Russia and how far they penetrate will depend on a number of factors, including how Russian offensives in Ukraine progress. Despite Moscow's angry words, so far there has been no discernible change in actual policy or force posture toward the United States and NATO.

Author's note: Tyler Rogoway contributed to this report.

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