Russia's Air Defense Units 'No Longer Capable Of Resisting HIMARS,' Melitopol Mayor Says

The Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the dislocation points of Russian troops in Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region, killing more than 100 enemy soldiers. Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov shared the update on Telegram.

"At night, high-precision HIMARS (Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) missiles were fired on temporary dislocation points of occupation troops at industrial sites in various districts of Melitopol city," Fedorov said.

According to preliminary estimates, a significant amount of Russian military equipment was also destroyed in the strikes. Ukraine also hit temporary barracks, where more than 100 Russian soldiers were staying.

Last week, Russia's army redeployed a significant part of air defense systems from Melitopol to Kherson, according to Fedorov.

"This night is the most productive and shows that the existing enemy air defense units are no longer capable of resisting HIMARS," the mayor added.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense said Russia was highly likely to deploy anti-personnel mines along its defensive lines in the Donbas region of Ukraine.

In Donetsk and Kramatorsk, Russia has attempted the employment of PFM-1 and PFM-1S scatterable anti-personnel mines. These mines are commonly referred to as the "butterfly mine," the ministry said in its latest intelligence update. The ministry described the weapons as "deeply controversial" and "indiscriminate."

"These mines have the potential to inflict widespread casualties among both the military and the local civilian population," it added.

Ukrainian forces also conducted long-range strikes on Russian troop bases and two key bridges.

"The results [of the strikes] are rather respectable, hits on the Antonovsky and Kakhovskyi bridges,"Natalia Humeniuk, a spokeswoman for Ukraine's southern military command, said on Ukrainian television, according to Al Jazeera.

In the north of the Kharkiv region, a massive strike hit a Russian ammunition depot, destroying it, the press service of the National Guard's Eastern Operational Territorial Unit said.

"Aerial reconnaissance and artillery of the National Guard and the Armed Forces, with the support of tanks, sent Russian special forces and an ammunition depot to hell in the north of Kharkiv region," the report said, according to Ukrinform.

The Russian base was reportedly discovered by scouts, who spotted Moscow's soldiers unloading artillery munitions.

"The National Guards passed the coordinates of the target to our gunners, after which they spotted the fire. The UAV camera recorded the incredible results of the 'good will' step by uninvited guests from fascist Russia," the report said.

International Business Times could not independently verify these claims.

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