The expert assessed the attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the “gates to the Crimea” with HIMARS missiles

Attempts to attack Crimea with drones were made by the Armed Forces of Ukraine over the weekend. In addition, HIMARS missiles hit Melitopol, which is called the “gateway to the Crimea.” If the attack on the Crimea was repulsed, then in Melitopol, where the blow fell on the hotel, there were no casualties.

According to an MK expert familiar with the situation, Melitopol could have been attacked by GMRLS-type missiles to mobile American HIMARS systems. Back in the fall, when they first started talking about the possible delivery of these extended-range missiles, it was argued that they could also be used in the Crimea.

On Saturday evening, Ukrainian drones were seen near Simferopol. It was not possible to deceive the Russian air defense on the peninsula – all aircraft were destroyed. A little later it turned out that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were trying to strike at Simferopol, Saki, Sevastopol, Novofedorovka.

In addition, on December 10, at around 21:00 local time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the outskirts of Melitopol with HIMARS rocket launchers. Air defense shot down two missiles, four more reached their targets. As a result, the hotel complex “Hunter’s Halt” was completely destroyed, where civilians dined on Saturday evening, the base staff worked.

According to Vladimir Rogov, a representative of the administration of the Zaporozhye region, a fire started after the impact. Rescuers arrived at the scene and began to put out the fire and pull people out from under the rubble. The Department of Health of the Zaporozhye region specified that three victims were taken to the Melitopol hospital in serious condition. Later it turned out that the number of victims increased to ten people.

After a series of attacks on Saturday, military experts suggested that the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in an attempt to reach the Crimean peninsula, began to use new HIMARS missiles with an increased range – up to 140 kilometers.

“If this is the case, then we need to take measures to increase strikes against the enemy … above the established ones. The front line in this area was not close to Melitopol, and we can say with confidence that missiles with an increased range were delivered, ”the Archangel of Special Forces Telegram channel notes.

A little later, a version appeared that GMLRS missiles, most likely, worked out in Melitopol, the possible delivery of which was discussed back in early October.

According to an MK expert familiar with the situation, this type of missile has a very “wide gamut”.

– These are missiles of various ranges – both 160 kilometers and 220. I do not rule out that some of this was delivered to Ukraine. The fact is that the supply of weapons and military equipment has long gone out of the public sphere, and the range of supplies has ceased to be brought in full. The amount is called, for example, 400 million dollars, but what exactly is there – by type, by position – is unknown.

At the same time, transferring a new batch of weapons to Poland by military transport aircraft for delivering several strikes, including delivery to starting positions, is a matter of several days. Therefore, it is quite possible that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already received something.

According to the expert, the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to strike at Melitopol with the help of the United States and some NATO countries, despite the fact that the West is allegedly very afraid of the “escalation of the conflict.”

– Firstly, the United States and NATO do not consider Crimea a territory of the Russian Federation, for them it is Ukraine within internationally recognized borders, so they can provide any ammunition for it.

In addition, Ukraine does not have such reconnaissance assets to determine the targets of strikes. They receive all intelligence data from the United States and some NATO countries. And GMRLS is a high-precision weapon that deviates from the target by only a few meters. It is necessary to determine the object of destruction very accurately, launch it and then, during the flight, correct it with the GPS system.

That is, there is no way to do without military-technical cooperation with the Americans. I think that all strike targets are coordinated and worked out together with the US and NATO.

According to the expert, Russia can respond with sea-based cruise missiles, “shoot at stationary targets,” but destroying HIMARS is a task that can be solved, but rather difficult.

– Try to catch this HIMARS. After all, this is a car that travels on public roads in the general flow of cars. How does he work? He stopped, lifted his guides, gave a start and immediately left. To catch him, you need to have dominance in the air and over the road. Catching HIMARS is a very difficult task, although, of course, solvable.