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As the U.S. prepares to send Ukraine new ammunition for the Advanced High Mobility Rocket Artillery System (HIMARS) missile system, a senior U.S. defense official said the Ukrainian armed forces have had "great success" in deploying the system's command post Attack Russian targets and reduce their capabilities on the battlefield.
"The Ukrainians were able to carefully select targets to undermine Russian efforts more systematically than with short-range artillery systems," the official told a group of reporters on Friday.
The official acknowledged that Ukraine is still in the early stages of deploying HIMARS, but has so far been using it effectively after a short training period that ended recently. At least four HIMARS have entered Ukraine, with four more committed.
The HIMARS has a range of about 40 miles (about 64 kilometers), and the Ukrainians can strike at long distances with greater accuracy than short-range artillery.
"What you're seeing is that the Ukrainians are actually systematically selecting targets and then hitting them precisely, providing this precise method of reducing Russia's capabilities," the official said.
The official also said Russia knew it had attacked a shopping mall in the city of Kremenchuk earlier this week, refuting Moscow's claim that it did not attack civilian targets.
"They certainly know what it is, and they'll know it could have collateral damage or impact," the official said.
The official added that the missile used in the attack was designed as an anti-ship weapon and was not intended for use in crowded urban environments.
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