Ukraine invites arms makers to ‘test’ weapons against Russia

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov pitched Western arms dealers Tuesday, asking them to let his troops try out their products against the Russians.

“We are interested in testing modern systems in the fight against the enemy,” Reznikov said during a conversation with former US Ambassador John Herbst as part of an online event hosted by the Atlantic Council think tank. “We are inviting arms manufacturers to test their products here.”

“Ukraine is now essentially a testing ground,” he continued. “Many weapons are now getting tested in the field in the real conditions of the battle against the Russian army — which has plenty of modern systems of its own.”

Ukraine has most recently been supplied with modern artillery and rocket systems from allies such as the US, the UK and Poland. Reznikov said the cutting-edge weaponry had given Ukrainian fighters an advantage in recent battles.

“These systems allowed us to destroy approximately 30 command stations and ammunition storages,” he said of the eight initial HIMARS rocket systems provided by the US.

“This has significantly slowed down the Russian advance and dramatically decreased the intensity of their artillery shelling. So it’s working,” he added.

More systems are expected to be sent to Ukraine in the coming weeks, but Reznikov said his forces would need a hundred such systems to mount a successful counteroffensive to retake the Donbas and occupied regions of southern Ukraine.

“Give us the tools, we will finish the job,” Reznikov said.

Meanwhile, Russian occupation authorities in the southern state of Kherson reported that Ukrainian rocket attacks had damaged a key bridge used to reinforce Russian positions in the region.

“The bridge wasn’t closed, traffic across it is still continuing, but the situation is serious,” Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the occupation government there, told Russian media outlet Interfax.

The Russians reported the bridge had been hit by a rocket launched from an American-made HIMARS launcher.