“Their air defense systems are cracking like nuts, dozens have been destroyed,” Putin said in an interview with Pavel Zarubin on the Rossiya 1 TV channel.
US President Joe Biden previously announced a new military aid package for Ukraine that includes HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Kyiv's demands to the West for the supply of multiple launch rocket systems are a direct provocation aimed at drawing other countries into the situation in Ukraine.
According to the Deputy head of the Pentagon, Colin Kohl, the US administration will consider any use by Kyiv of the HIMARS MLRS on the territory of Ukraine as defensive.