Russia claims to have destroyed latest Western-supplied weapons to Ukraine

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russia claimed on Thursday that it had destroyed the latest Western-supplied weaponry to Ukraine, including launchers for US-made ATACMS missiles, during four days of intensified strikes that began on Monday with 100 missiles of various types and nearly 500 drones.

The Russian forces have fired 100 different types of missiles on Ukrainian territory since Monday, as well as launched nearly 500 drones to strike various targets in the country, according to the Defense Ministry.

The ministry said in a statement that it used Iskander ballistic missiles to destroy five launchers for US-made ATACMS missiles, two multiple rocket launchers MLTS, and three multiple rocket launchers HIMARS, all of which were used to attack Russian territory.

In addition, two rocket launchers carrying experimental Grom-2 rockets, as well as one launcher and transport-loading vehicle from the Ukrainian anti-ship complex Neptune, were destroyed near Ukraine's Odesa region with the same weapons, it said.

"On November 25, as a result of a missile strike on the headquarters of the (Ukrainian) General Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) Kraken in the city of Kharkiv, up to 40 foreign specialists, mainly from the US, were killed," it claimed, adding that another strike killed at least 72 troops operating water drones, including nine French instructors.

On Thursday morning, a combined strike was carried out on Ukraine's military-industrial complex facilities, as well as the energy infrastructure that supplies them with energy, the ministry said.

"In total, 100 missiles of various types and 466 drones Geran-2 have been used in recent days, and specifically for last night's combined massive strike -- 90 missiles and 100 drones Geran-2, which hit 17 key objects of the military industry of Ukraine," it said.

The ministry stressed that it continues to monitor airfields, areas of deployment, and routes used to deliver Western long-range weapons used to hit Russian territory to destroy them.