Ukraine Acknowledges Attack on Russian Territory, Using US-Supplied HIMARS (Yomiuri Shimbun)

The New York Times reported on April 4th that Ukraine had used the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) provided by the United States to strike a target within Russian territory near the border, destroying a missile launcher. This was revealed in an interview with Yuriy Mykhailovych Hrynyov, a deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, by The New York Times. This is the first time a Ukrainian official has publicly confirmed the use of U.S.-supplied weapons to strike within Russian territory since the Biden administration allowed Ukraine to do so. According to Hrynyov, the destroyed missile launcher was a surface-to-air missile system deployed in the Belgorod Oblast in western Russia.

This incident marks the first time Ukraine has officially acknowledged an attack within Russian territory near the border, signifying a new phase in the war with Russia. The possibility of Ukraine intensifying its attacks within Russian territory cannot be ruled out in the future. Furthermore, this event confirms that the U.S. has officially allowed the use of weapons it provided to Ukraine for attacks within Russian territory, suggesting the potential for increased U.S. support for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia has strongly condemned Ukraine's attack and hinted at potential retaliatory measures. Russia claims that Ukraine's attack threatens its territorial security and is likely to intensify its military operations against Ukraine. The war between Russia and Ukraine is expected to escalate further, and the international community is closely watching the situation.