Denies Russian Defense Minister's Claims About HIMARS, Pentagon: It's False, Ukraine Uses It With Devastating Accuracy

JAKARTA - The United States Department of Defense (Pentagon) vehemently denies Russia's claims regarding their success in destroying the US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) in the war in Ukraine.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, according to Interfax, said on Tuesday, that Russia had destroyed HIMARS after Moscow deployed tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine on February 24.

"We are aware of this latest claim from Secretary Shoigu and it is again completely false," Todd Breasseale, the Pentagon's acting spokesman, told Reuters on Aug. 3.

"What happened, however, was that Ukraine used with devastating accuracy and effectiveness, each precision missile system that the United States, our Allies, and partners fully reckoned with had provided them to defend against Russia's brutal criminal invasion," Breasseale said.

Previously, Russia had regularly claimed to have destroyed HIMARS, but had yet to show any evidence.

In addition to HIMARS, Minister Shoigu also said Russia had destroyed five Harpoon anti-ship missile launch systems and 33 M777 howitzers since Moscow deployed tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine. Reuters was unable to verify the accuracy of the report.

Ukrainian officials say they operate up to a dozen HIMARS systems, the accuracy and range of which allows Kyiv to reduce Russia's artillery advantage.

Long-range rocket fire is seen as important in the conflict, as Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to engage in brutal artillery and missile battles in the relatively open area of the eastern Donbas region.

Washington has trained more than 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate the launchers. In total, the Pentagon said, the United States has sent about $8.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since January 2021 and about $6.9 billion since the Russian invasion in February.