Nova Kakhovka HIMARS Strike

So, videos have emerged on social media of a very large plume of smoke over Nova ka-hov-ka from strikes that tool place on the 13th. So I thought it would be worthwhile taking a look at what exactly was targetted and, which platforms could strike it. So, it has been geolocated to here. A large electric machien plant which is now being used as a storage depot for Russian ammunition. So turning to deepstates war maps, we can see it is over 50 kilometers from ukrainian terriotry. But, like I always say, you can add an extra 10 kilometers or so onto that for a long-range strike platform as they won’t be deployed from near the frontlines. So, it’s within range of the Tochka-U or HIMARS. 12 rockets were fired at the plant, with a report saying Russia intercepted several of them. I’m not sure exactly the original source for that claim, but I think it might be Ukrainian—Russia tends to claim to have intercepted all of them even with the targetted structure being up in smoke. Given the number of rockets fired. I would say it was HIMARS. Tochka-U, we typically see one or two being fired. Since 12 were fired, two HIMARSA units were used, each unloading their full load of 6 rockets each. But, even if several were shot down. It still shows that by and large, Russia’s SAM systems are a bit of a dud when it comes to intercepting HIMARS. Another possibility of course is that the HIMARS was fired in conjunction with Grad. This tactic was mentioned a month or so ago, where a barrage of Grad rockets are fired first to suppress SAMS and draw their fire, followed closely by the HIMARS rockets which then hit the target unimpeded. Given the number fired—12--fits two HIMARS units, I’m inclined to think that all fired were HIMARS on this occasion. Of course, it could be M270—they carry 12 rockets, so that fits too. It’s typical to give HIMARS the credit, but M270s are there too and are pretty much the same paltform, just with more of a payload. So, this was either two HIMARS or one M270. Now, the M30 and M31 HIMARS rounds have a range of approximately 92 km. So, I have added a distance circle to the map, just to show the wide range of locations to the north west where a HIMARS could fire on to hit Nova kha-hov-ka. It shows what a good weapon it is and, just why russia has failed to destroy one yet—it can fire from such a long distance from the target, it’s firing points are wide ranging and diverse and can easily be out of range of most russian counter fire. Now—as a side note. This shows the number of alleged HIMARS and M270 strikes taking place on August 12 and August 13 according to Ukraine battle map. Now some—the ones closer to Ukraine’s territory such as the ones around Donetsk could be other platforms—such as Grad or even regular artillery. . But the ones further afield, like Melitopol for example, the only platforms that can reacha re HIMARS and Tochka-U. So, despite some claims on social media that “Himars strikes have dried up”. The platform is clearly still active and still hitting a number of targets.