Ukrainian Intelligence assumes HIMARS can be used on Russian facilities in occupied Crimea

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — SATURDAY, 16 JULY, 20:01

The Chief Intelligence Directorate states that the Russian military facilities in the occupied Crimea are among the targets to be hit by the Ukrainian troops.

Source: Vadym Skibitskyi, representative of the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, on the 24/7 national joint newscast

Details: A journalist asked the representative of the Chief Intelligence Directorate whether Ukraine could use the HIMARS and M270 systems on the territory of Crimea.

Quote from Skibitskyi: "Today, the Crimean peninsula has become simply a hub for the transfer of all equipment and weapons that come from the Russian Federation to the southern regions of our country...

Secondly, you see how actively the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation is currently used for launching missile strikes on our territory. These are Calibre systems, frigates, small missile ships, submarines, which are constantly on combat duty, waiting for commands, and then they conduct launches, regardless of the time of day...

Because of this, it is also one of the targets that should be hit in order to guarantee the safety of our citizens, our facilities and Ukraine in general."

Previously: On 15 July, Oleksii Reznikov, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, confirmed that Ukraine has decided not to use HIMARS on targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.

When asked whether the commitment of the Ukrainian side extends to Crimea, Reznikov answered the following, "I said [to US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin – ed.] that we have enough strategic facilities on the Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russians. He replied to me, ‘We understand you’."