Ukrainian forces are using new, long-range rocket launchers provided by Western countries to strike targets far behind Russian lines, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
The Times describes a "fireball" that "lit up the sky" over occupied Luhansk on Wednesday morning in what Russian media described as a strike on an aircraft battery.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Per the Times, Ukrainian forces are carrying out these strikes with "truck-mounted, multiple rocket launchers known as High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems or HIMARS."
As explained here at The Week, "HIMARS is a lighter, more mobile cousin of the [Multiple Launch Rocket System]" and has an effective range of more than 180 miles. That's 10 times the range of the M777 howitzers the U.S. previously sent Ukraine.
On June 1, a U.S. official confirmed that the HIMARS was headed to Kyiv as part of a new $700 million military aid package.
If Ukraine is able to successfully disrupt Russia's logistics and artillery operations, this could be a game changer. During the Donbas campaign, Russia has relied heavily on its massive artillery advantage to drive back Ukrainian forces, shooting some 50,000 artillery rounds per day, 10 times what Ukraine could manage.
-
September 28 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include the Jim Comey indictment and Pam Bondi as a the Wicked Witch of the West
-
The Liberal Democrats: on the march?Talking Point After winning their highest number of seats in 2024, can the Lib Dems marry ‘stunts’ with a ‘more focused electoral strategy’?
-
Your Party: a Pythonesque shamblesTalking Point Comical disagreements within Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's group highlight their precarious position
-
How should Nato respond to Putin’s incursions?Today’s big question Russia has breached Nato airspace regularly this month, and nations are primed to respond
-
Russia’s war games and the threat to NatoIn depth Incursion into Poland and Zapad 2025 exercises seen as a test for Europe
-
What will bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table?Today’s Big Question With diplomatic efforts stalling, the US and EU turn again to sanctions as Russian drone strikes on Poland risk dramatically escalating conflict
-
The mission to demine UkraineThe Explainer An estimated quarter of the nation – an area the size of England – is contaminated with landmines and unexploded shells from the war
-
Ottawa Treaty: why are Russia's neighbours leaving anti-landmine agreement?Today's Big Question Ukraine to follow Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as Nato looks to build a new ‘Iron Curtain' of millions of landmines
-
How drone warfare worksThe Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
How far would Russia go for Iran?Today's Big Question US air strikes represent an 'embarrassment, provocation and opportunity' all rolled into one for Vladimir Putin
