Ukrainian troops have shelled the city of Alchevsk in the Luhansk region using the US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), the Luhansk People’s Republic’s (LPR) mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination on the ceasefire regime (JCCC) said.
"Shelling was recorded from the side of the armed formations of Ukraine: 21:30 [18:30 on Saturday] in the direction of Alchevsk, with the use of MLRS [Multiple Launch Rocket System] HIMARS (2 missiles)," the LPR mission said in a statement on Telegram.
Meanwhile, the Donetsk People’s Republic’s (DPR) mission to the JCCC said on Telegram that Ukrainian troops shelled the city of Donetsk on Saturday night, using BM-21 "Grad" rockets and 152mm and 120mm artillery. The village of Olenivka was also shelled.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the United States had provided intelligence to Ukraine for shelling Donbas cities using HIMARS missiles. According to Zakharova, with the supply of such heavy arms, the artillery attacks of Ukraine's armed forces have become more active and it appears that Ukrainian troops have received an order from Kiev to use such systems against civilians without hesitation.
Earlier this week, Russian Deputy Envoy to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky condemned the deadly strike on the city of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region carried out by Ukrainian forces using HIMARS and called it a direct consequence of Washington’s policy on the supply of weapons to Kiev.
Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden authorized a new $400 million drawdown of additional military assistance to Ukraine. The Defense Department said the aid package includes four HIMARS, 1,000 rounds of 155mm artillery munitions with greater precision capabilities, counter battery systems and other equipment. So far, the United States committed 12 and delivered eight HIMARS systems to Ukraine.
