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| A view shows a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is being fired in an undisclosed location, in Ukraine in this still image obtained from an undated social media video uploaded on June 24, 2022 via Pavlo Narozhnyy/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. REUTERS WAS NOT ABLE TO VERIFY THE LOCATION OR DATE THE VIDEO WAS FILMED. THE VIDEO SHOWS THE FIRING OF WHAT PURPORTS TO BE A HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEM (HIMARS). THE SHAPE OF THE WEAPON MATCHES FILE IMAGES OF THE ROCKET SYSTEM. |
Russiaโs foreign ministry on Thursday attacked the United States and Britain for helping train Ukraineโs armed forces, calling it part of โhybrid warfareโ being waged by NATO countries against Russia.
In a media briefing, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Washington had provided Ukraine with instructors who were helping Kyivโs forces use advanced U.S.-made high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS).
She noted the rockets, which have a longer range and are more precise than other artillery weapons, were being used โwidelyโ by Ukrainian forces.
โUkrainian forces are using HIMARS received from the United States everywhere,โ Zakharova said. She said Washington had โsecretly sent instructorsโ to Ukraine to help its forces learn how to use and aim the new weapons, resulting in civilian targets in Russian-controlled areas being fired upon.
Both sides have denied targeting civilians and residential areas in the conflict, which has been raging for almost five months.
The U.S. said eight HIMARS systems would be operating in Ukraine by mid-July. Military analysts believe the new weapons could be a game-changer, and Kyiv says it has already used the rockets to destroy multiple Russian ammunition depots in eastern Ukraine.
Zakharova also criticised Britainโs decision to bring hundreds of Ukrainian service personnel to the UK for weapons training. The new initiative from London to train up to 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers over the coming months was part of the Westโs โhybrid warโ against Moscow, she said.
REUTERS
