Iskander Strike Claims Second Ever HIMARS Destruction

Russian state media has released footage showing the destruction of a US-supplied, Ukrainian-operated M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), allegedly by an Iskander strike near the Russian border in Sumy Oblast. This strike, however, would only mark the second-ever visually confirmed HIMARS destruction since they began service in Ukraine over two years ago..The Strike.Footage, taken from a Russian drone, shows a Ukrainian HIMARS letting off a salvo before driving off to conceal itself in a wooded area..The "shoot and scoot" tactic is typical among any MLRS platforms, but has been used to great effect by the Ukrainians to avoid detection and counter-battery fire. However, the presence of the drone makes this a futile effort as the HIMARS was continuously tracked from its firing position..The footage then shows an explosion and secondary munition cookouts, suggesting that the HIMARS was immediately destroyed. While some have suggested that only ammunition was destroyed, Ukrainian military sources have confirmed the loss. Notably, what appears to be a second HIMARS can be seen trying to flee the impact area following the strike..Russian state media reported that an Iskander SRBM was used..Geolocation and Context.The footage has been geolocated to a wooded area just 8 km from the border with Russia..Firing Position (GEO: 51.0686, 35.0344)Destroyed (GEO: 51.0593, 35.0282).This is important, as the HIMARS was most likely providing fire support for Ukrainian operations inside Kursk, Russia, which have been ongoing since August 6. HIMARS have been particularly important during these efforts as they have been used to target Russian reinforcement columns trying to respond to Ukrainian advancements. This was most notably seen on August 8, where a HIMARS cluster strike halted a Russian troop convoy in Rylsk, resulting in what is believed to be hundreds of casualties..As mentioned in my last article, "What is the German Military's Perspective on the Kursk Offensive," German Major General Dr. Christian Freuding stated that "We saw immediately at the beginning that the Russian forces are able to react when the Ukrainians advance. There was an attempt to counterattack," however, the Ukrainians were able to repel this and effectively destroy Russian reinforcements as they approached. This was done through effective HIMARS strikes against infantry and armor columns that had been dispatched to bolster a Russian response to the incursion..Rare Loss for Ukraine.This strike marks only the second-ever visually confirmed destruction of a Ukrainian HIMARS since they started service in June 2022. As stated, this is largely thanks to their high mobility (hence the name), which allows them to fire and drive off before their position is located. However, as stated above, this tactic meant nothing as a Russian drone was watching its every move..When looking at the first HIMARS loss, which occurred back in March, there is much to compare. Footage released by Russian military sources, which was also taken by an overhead drone, tracks a HIMARS before it is eventually struck by an Iskander missile. In both instances, Russian drones were able to operate freely over Ukrainian-controlled territory and direct an Iskander missile strike on the launchers..To date, we have seen only four visually confirmed losses out of the 39 HIMARS supplied by the US. Two have been destroyed, as seen in the footage above. The other two were seen being unloaded at Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania with battle damage, likely to be repaired..So What.While losses on the battlefield are always expected, Ukrainian HIMARS are considerably more valuable than other systems. This only marks the second visually confirmed destruction in over two years and does not mean much in the short term; however, both losses highlight a common trend and vulnerability. It has become apparent that the HIMARS' largest enemy is Russian ISR drones that are able to track its movements and direct missile strikes on its position. Russia's ability to operate freely in Ukrainian airspace highlights weak points in Ukrainian air defense capabilities that, if exploited further, could degrade Ukrainian fire support for its efforts in Kursk.