Ukrainian officials reveal that they almost never fire Himars missiles without detailed coordinates provided by US military personnel stationed in various locations in Europe
Ukrainian officials have revealed that they receive coordinates (waypoints) from the US and its allies for the vast majority of strikes using its advanced US-supplied rocket systems, something that has not been disclosed until now, revealing a deeper and more operationally active role for the Pentagon in the war against Russia.
The disclosure, confirmed by three Ukrainian officials and a US official, comes after months of Ukrainian forces firing at Russian targets – including Russian headquarters, ammunition depots and barracks – with the US-supplied HIMARS artillery rocket system (HIMARS) as well as other similar weapons. Very accurate like the M270 rocket system.
A senior Ukrainian official told The Washington Post that Ukrainian forces rarely launch the advanced weapons without specific coordinates provided by US military personnel from bases elsewhere in Europe.
A senior US official who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the firing’s targeting aid was used to ensure accuracy and preserve limited ammunition stocks for maximum effectiveness. The official said Ukraine does not seek permission from the United States on what to attack and routinely targets the Russians on its own with other weapons, but the United States provides coordinates and precise targeting information only in an “advisory role.”
“We have long announced that we share intelligence information with Ukraine to assist them in defending their country against Russian aggression.” Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement. “The Ukrainians are responsible for finding targets, and then ultimately deciding which ones to hit. The US does not approve targets, and we are not involved in the selection or engagement of targets either.”
The Ukrainian official described the process of aiming the fire, in general: Ukrainian military personnel identify targets they want to hit, and in what location, and this information is then sent to senior commanders, who then forward the request to US forces for more precise coordinates. The Americans do not always provide the The requested coordinates, the official said, and in this case the Ukrainian soldiers do not shoot.
Ukraine can launch strikes without U.S. help, but because Ukraine doesn’t want to waste valuable ammunition and miss a hit, it usually chooses not to attack without U.S. approval, the official said, adding that there are no complaints about the process.