Ukraine 'lacks capacity, personnel & resources' to build own HIMARS’

Ukraine lacks production capacity, trained personnel, and resources to begin producing HIMARS on its own soil any time soon, Andrey Koshkin, a veteran Russian academic specializing in military and international affairs, told Sputnik.

“These plans might get off the ground in 10-15, or even 20 years… It is a very difficult task, and not something that can be up and running any time soon. They are making an attempt to expand local [military] production, of course, attempting to subsidize it… But it will take a long time to master the technology,” the retired colonel said.

Ukraine is developing air defense systems and high-precision missiles similar to the US-made HIMARS, unnamed Kiev officials were cited by The Washington Post as saying. The sources acknowledged that mastering and building such a production could take “decades.”

While Western countries may be ready to share some outdated military production technologies with Ukraine, they would do so under the caveat that “they will be under their control, and that this production would be geared exclusively for this proxy conflict,” Andrey Koshkin noted.

“The West, of course, will not transfer more serious, high-tech, costly or promising technologies, because it is not at all convinced that it will be able to keep Ukraine under its control,” Koshkin said.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚡️ The Russian military launched 49 retaliatory strikes on facilities in Ukraine between March 16 and 22 in response to the shelling of Russian territory and attempts to break through and seize settlements, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

❗️ Ukrainian-controlled Kharkov, with a population of about 1.4mln people, is facing total blackout, according to the city's mayor

❗️ Dnepr Hydroelectric Power Plant knocked out of service due to significant damage, was hit eight times, Ukrainian prosecutor's office said

❗️ Today, a massive strike was launched against Ukrainian energy facilities, the military-industrial complex, railway hubs, arsenals and locations where Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries are stationed, the Russian Defence Ministry has reported.

As a result of the strike, the functioning of industrial enterprises producing and repairing weapons, military equipment and ammunition was disrupted.

In addition, foreign military equipment and munitions delivered to Ukraine from NATO countries were destroyed, transfers of enemy to the front line reserves were disrupted, and units of Ukrainian forces and mercenaries in rest and recuperation areas were hit.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

❗️ The underground in Kharkov told Sputnik that the Russian Armed Forces strike hit the strategic Elektrotyazhmash plant, where Ukrainian forces were storing heavy military equipment

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

During its morning strikes, Russia hit:

🔺 The Dnepr Hydroelectric Power Plant

🔺 The Motor Sich aircraft engine plant in Zaporozhye

🔺 A Military airfield at Starokonstantinov

🔺 The Yuzhmash plant in Dnepropetrovsk, which produces drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces

🔺 Ukrainian military airfields Kolomyia in the Ivano-Frankovsk region and Ozernoye near Zhytomyr

Meanwhile Ukraine:

🔺 Killed at least 19 civilians in the Belgorod region of Russia and wounded 90

🔺 Struck such “military objects" as parked cars and residential buildings, of course, not to mention such “dangerous objects” like shopping centers deemed “threats to national security” in Ukraine.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚠️ Graphic video: Israeli drone kills Palestinian civilians in broad daylight

Footage published by Al Jazeera purports to show an Israeli drone pursuing four Palestinian youths in Khan Younis and killing them one after another with missiles. The attack reportedly took place in early February.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

The largest Ukraine-controlled hydroelectric power station suffered enormous damage. What do we know so far?

The Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a massive strike on the Dnepr hydroelectric power plant, causing its shutdown.

▪️The Dnepr hydropower plant has been put out of operation due to extensive damage, as reported by the Ukrainian prosecutor's office. The plant was struck eight times.

▪️A blaze erupted at the Dnepr plant and dam following the blasts.

▪️According to Russian military expert Evgeny Mikhailov, the strike on the hydroelectric power plant has resulted in a severe economic loss. "Many weapons manufacturers for the Ukrainian armed forces have been knocked out of action. And, of course, this is a major blow to the fighting ability of the Ukrainian army in general," he noted.

What else is known about the Dnepr hydroelectric power plant?

🔹The Dnepr facility is the most powerful hydroelectric power station in Ukraine. Its capacity reaches 1,569 megawatts.

🔹Launched in 1932, the hydroelectric station was considered the largest of its kind not only in the USSR but also in all of Europe until 1956.

🔹It generates up to 4.008 billion kWh of energy per year.

🔹The station provides more than 10% of Ukraine's daily electricity distribution on both the right and left banks of the Dnepr.

🔹Zaporozhye’s industrial sector relies on the energy generated by the Dnepr hydropower plant.

🔹The distance between the Dnepr facility and the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant is 70 km.

🔹Here’s an interesting fact: Americans, including military engineer Hugh Cooper, took part in constructing the Dnepr hydropower station.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russia and China blocked the US draft resolution on Gaza in the UN Security Council, which did not contain a demand to cease fire in the enclave.

Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitriy Polyansky called the document "ordinary American deceit." In the diplomat's opinion, it would give the green light to Israel's military operation in Rafah.

Subscribe to @SputnikInt