Russia destroys US-made Harpoon anti-ship systems near Odessa

Russian forces destroyed the US-made Harpoon anti-ship complex near Odessa. In addition, a fighter jet and an attack aircraft were shot down in an air raid, more than 200 people were killed during an attack on the location of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, RBC reports.

Russian aerospace forces struck the launcher of the US-made Harpoon anti-ship complex, the Defense Ministry said during a briefing on the progress of the special operation in Ukraine.

The launcher was located near the village of Usatovo in the Odessa region. Russian fighter jets also shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet in the Mykolaiv region and a Su-25 attack aircraft in the DPR.

In addition, a long-range weapon struck the temporary deployment point of the 35th Marine Brigade in the settlement of Dachnoye, the Odessa region, where reservists of the Ukrainian army were trained. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, more than 200 people were killed, more than ten units of foreign military equipment were destroyed.

The following facilities have been destroyed in the last 24 hours:

• five platoons of Grad multiple launch rocket systems of 48th and 58th motorized infantry brigades,
• six artillery platoons of D-20 howitzers,
• nine artillery platoons of D-30 systems.

Harpoon anti-ship subsonic missiles were developed by McDonnell Douglas. They are manufactured in the United States by Boeing Corporation. Their maximum firing range is 90-200 km. It depends on the modification of the missiles and may reach 280 km. Harpoon missiles can be air, ship or shore-based. In addition to ships, they are capable of striking ground defense infrastructure.

The Ukrainian forces received the US Harpoon launchers from Denmark, the Pentagon said in late May. The US authorities included this missile system in another next package of military assistance to Ukraine in mid-June. The Russian Defense Ministry previously reported the destruction of Harpoon systems in Ukraine, in particular on July 8 and 12.

The Russian authorities criticise the supplies of Western weapons to Ukraine. According to Putin, the military assistance from West will only make the conflict last longer, whereas Moscow will achieve its goals anyway.