Why did Russia station helicopters within Ukraine’s HIMARS range? Experts suggest propaganda misled commanders

According to Defense Express, the precision strike was carried out using HIMARS with M30A2 GMLRS rockets, known for their tungsten-based warheads and airburst capability, making them highly effective against concentrated targets. A reconnaissance UAV provided real-time targeting, capturing an impressive video of the strike.

This attack marks a rare use of GMLRS against helicopters. Until now, Ukraine primarily relied on ATACMS for airfield strikes or targeted helicopters during landing near the front lines. OSINT analysts geolocated the attack to a field near Ivnya, approximately 55 km from the frontline.

A key question remains: why did Russia risk stationing helicopters within HIMARS range? Defense Express analysts suggest that Russian commanders may have believed their own propaganda claiming Ukraine’s HIMARS had been "shut down." Given the short turnaround time helicopters typically spend at staging sites, the strike underscores Ukraine’s ability to gather precise intelligence and act swiftly.

• Ukraine is already manufacturing its own versions of the American HIMARS system, along with long-range missiles capable of striking targets over 600 kilometers away.
• Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, in cooperation with the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Rocket Forces and Artillery, destroyed two Russian Ka-52 and two Mi-8 helicopters in the Belgorod region of Russia.