Himars strikes disrupt Russian assaults amid arsenal shortages
A Russian soldier involved in the conflict in Ukraine attempted to capture one of the assaults on film, intended to be executed using the BM-21 Grad. However, the plan was thwarted as a missile from a HIMARS launcher struck the Russian vehicle.
The video that circulated on social media shows the moment the BM-21 Grad, which was preparing to conduct its bombardment, was hit and entirely annihilated. Subsequent explosions are also visible, confirming that the launchers were stocked with ammunition.
HIMARS destroys BM-21 Grad
The BM-21 Grad is among the weapons most consistently employed by Russians in Ukraine. This is primarily because they had substantial reserves of this system type, initially developed in the 1960s.
This system uses a tube launcher with 40 slots (10 in each of the four rows) for 122 mm calibre missiles mounted on a truck chassis (most often the Ural-375D). As a result, the entire setup is mobile and can travel at speeds of approximately 70 km/h on paved roads. The BM-21 Grad ranges about 20 km for standard fragmentation-warhead missiles and even 40 km when using specialised ammunition.
Artillery is a key weapon in Ukraine
When evaluating the effectiveness of different weapons in the Ukrainian war, soldiers and analysts highlight that seemingly outdated artillery plays a vital role. However, the Russians are facing challenges in acquiring additional systems to replace those destroyed by Ukrainians. Stockpiles are visibly diminishing, leading Moscow to start acquiring artillery from North Korea by the end of 2024.
The Ukrainians, in contrast, continue to use both Soviet-era systems and much more modern NATO equipment. One example is the HIMARS artillery, which, with its 227 mm GMLRS missiles, can destroy targets within a range of about 69-80 km. The MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles, compatible with these launchers, offer an even greater range.
