• filoria@lemmy.mlOP
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    13
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    11 months ago

    Strike seems to be confirmed by Mossad on X. Looks like Ukraine used MLRS cluster munitions on Belgorod.

    • ptelder@beehaw.org
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      Did they confirm what system was used? According to sources like Malcontent, Ukraine doesn’t have anything in inventory that was close enough to hit in an east west trajectory with that kind of damage?

      • filoria@lemmy.mlOP
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        11 months ago

        Friendly reminder that the 1.7 ton HIMARS-launched ATACMS missile has a range of 310km. Belgorod is about 40km from the Ukrainian border and 80km from Kharkiv. The Vilkha MLRS that the MoD claimed that Ukraine used to strike Belgorod has a range of 130km with R624M rockets.

        Your sources are misinformed.

        • ptelder@beehaw.org
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          11 months ago

          Vilkha MLRS

          Neutral (?) reminder that my question was about what details your “Mossad” account on X was providing. You appear to have pivoted to the Russian MoD as a source, which to put it kindly, has not had the best record for truth and accuracy in this conflict.

          If a Vikha was indeed used, the bomblet carriage should have survived and would be a very difficult to deny piece of evidence. I haven’t seen anything yet to confirm one was recovered though.

          Using cluster munitions on an essentially civilian target would be a serious change in tactics for Ukraine, and give Russia’s allies in the US Congress a clear reason to drop support. That doesn’t mean they couldn’t have screwed up their targeting, or had a missile intercepted though, so I’d love to see any actual evidence.

          • filoria@lemmy.mlOP
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            11 months ago

            Your claim is that Ukraine doesn’t have anything in their inventory with the capability to strike Belgorod with that degree of damage. I categorically disproved that by pointing to the HIMARS and Vilkha systems, both of which are currently possessed and operated by the AFU.

            Edit: this is commonly known as “shifting the goalposts.”

    • mirror_slap@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      10
      ·
      11 months ago

      Ukraine would have sent them toward military targets. If they’re shot down they hit whatever they come down on. There’s a big difference there.