Following increased attacks on Russian targets as a result of Western-supplied HIMARS and other long-range artillery systems to Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu ordered increased strikes against those Ukrainian systems. “Army General Sergey Shoigu…instructed the commander to use surgical strikes and crush the enemy’s long-range missile and artillery means,” the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to Tass. Ukraine has claimed that they’ve struck 30 Russian targets in the recent days, naming ammunition depots and military targets, but Russia claims they have also hit civilian locations in the Donbass, including wheat fields and grain storage facilities.
This announcement followed a couple of dangerous statements made last weekend. A representative in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that Crimea is now a target of their new HIMARS systems. Then on Sunday, a U.S. State Department spokesman was asked by a reporter from Antiwar.com about this, and what the U.S.’s stance was on Ukraine using American weapons to attack Crimea, the spokesman replied, “Crimea is Ukraine…. The United States does not and will never recognize Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea. We will continue to stand up against Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against the people of Ukraine.”
