Enduring Ukraine resistance linked to US HIMARS, reflective belts
KYIV—As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches its sixth month, Ukraine’s resiliency against numerically superior Russian forces has inspired and astounded observers the world over. But not everyone is surprised. According to some in the Pentagon, once approval was given to supply the advanced rocket launching system HIMARS and state-of-the-art reflective belts, Ukraine’s ability to repel Russia increased exponentially.
“Those reflective belts are something else, aren’t they?” asked Air Force Col. Wendall James, a Pentagon spokesperson. “Once the National Security Council and President Biden decided to roll the dice and provide Ukraine’s military with those babies, I know President Zelensky was finally able to get a good night’s sleep.”
“Oh, the HIMARS are good too,” he added. “What are they, artillery? Tanks?”
Sources within the Pentagon detailed the fierce debate that occurred in the weeks leading up to the decision.
“President Biden wants to give the Ukrainians everything they needed to defend themselves,” said Maj. Raymond Peters, an Army staff officer at the Pentagon who requested anonymity but was denied. “He was very concerned that providing American-made reflective belts would be seen by Russia as a ‘red line’ that could pitch us towards World War III.”
“This is off the record, right?” Peters asked.
The decision to provide the reflective belts and HIMARS came shortly after U.S. intelligence confirmed that Ukrainian army officers and senior non-commissioned officers were running low on things to yell at their troops about while trying to do their jobs.
“It became clear that this was the right thing to do,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. “Every day we waited to send over those belts was a day of uncertainty about whether Ukraine will fall or not. The president said, ‘to hell with it, given ‘em the belts.’ You could sense the relief in the Pentagon when the order went out.”
“Also, the HIMARS too. Those are neat.”
W.E. Linde (aka Major Crunch) writes a lot. Former military intelligence officer, amateur historian, blogger/writer at DamperThree.com. Strives to be a satirist, but probably just sarcastic. Twitter @welinde
