The intelligence service of Ukraine told about consultations with the United States before the HIMARS MLRS strikes
Vadim Skibitsky, a representative of the main intelligence directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, said in an interview with the Telegraph that the country's Armed Forces consult with the United States before launching a strike from HIMARS multiple rocket launchers. He also said that Kiev conducts joint operations together with Poland.
Joint operations with Poland
According to Vadim Skibitsky, cooperation between Ukraine and Poland "is at a very high level", the countries conduct joint operations.
"Cooperation with Poland is at a very high level, almost 90 percent of military aid comes from there. We are talking about very close cooperation and joint operations with our partners," the Telegraph quotes Skibitsky as saying.
The representative of the main intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine added that in the field of military intelligence, "almost everything, from information to equipment," is provided by the United States and Great Britain.
At the same time, Skibitsky refused to tell exactly how London contributes, but clarified that the assistance is "every minute information of all kinds in real time."
Consultations with the USA
A representative of the main intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine also said in an interview that before using the HIMARS MLRS, Kiev consults with the United States. At the same time, the United States can cancel strikes if "they are not satisfied with the intended target."
According to him, the APU, when using HIMARS, is guided by "information received in real time." However, American officials do not provide direct information for guidance, as they do not want to be considered a participant in the conflict.
Skibitsky noted that there is a level of consultation between US and Ukrainian intelligence officials before launching missiles, which allows Washington to stop any potential attacks if it is dissatisfied with the intended target.
At the same time, Skibitsky did not specify whether the APU uses British and American satellites during shelling, but noted that the military has "very good pictures."
"We have a very good cooperation with our partners in the UK in this area. We have very good relations with all related special services," he said.
HIMARS MLRS supplies to Ukraine
The article also says that the UK is helping Ukraine "hunt for Russian spies" who are "eyeing Western military aid" delivered to Kiev. According to the publication, "the destruction of military aid coming to Ukraine from the West is the number one goal for Russian agents."
The US authorities have been supplying HIMARS MLRS to Ukraine since June 1, when these installations were included in a $700 million military aid package. The Pentagon then promised to transfer the necessary data for strikes and MLRS to the APU.
On July 20, it became known that the United States, together with its allies, intend to transfer more than 20 multiple rocket launchers to Kiev, 12 of them have already been delivered. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Mark Milli, said that the Americans have trained 200 Ukrainians to use HIMARS, and intend to train even more AFU servicemen.
In turn, the head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, clarified that the shells for the HIMARS MLRS supplied to Ukraine can hit targets at a distance of 80 kilometers. In his opinion, this is "a fairly good range."
He added that further arms supplies will depend on the needs of the Armed Forces and how they will conduct combat operations.
On the same day, July 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with RIA Novosti and RT that the geographical objectives of the military special operation have changed, they are no longer limited to the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. And if Western countries continue to supply Kiev with long-range weapons, then geographical tasks will be pushed even further.
On July 27, retired US Marine Corps Colonel Mark Kanchian told The Drive that if the United States supplied Kiev with additional HIMARS MLRS, the stocks of missiles for them could run out in Ukraine in four months.
According to him, Kiev should not worry about the amount of equipment, requesting another 100 installations, but about the number of shells for it.
"As long as you only have 12 or 20 HIMARS systems, the intensity of use won't be a problem in the near term. When you start getting more (installations), I think that by the fourth month (shells) may simply run out," Kanchian said.
Maria Shustrova
