Half a Russian Buk Missile Battalion Destroyed, Ukrainian Special Ops Say

Operators of the 3rd Separate Regiment of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) destroyed half a battalion of Russian Buk anti-aircraft missile systems in three weeks, Ukraine’s SSO reported on its Telegram channel.

A standard Buk battalion (divizion) consists of a command vehicle, target acquisition radar vehicle, six transporter erector launcher and radar vehicles, and three transporter erector launcher vehicles.

The report does not specify in which operational sector the Russian Buks were destroyed. However, it does indicate that three anti-aircraft missile complexes were hit by SSO fighters at the end of April and beginning of May, and the fourth Buk was destroyed by special ops a few days ago.

According to the report, during reconnaissance operations, the operators discovered the location of the fourth Buk and inflicted fire damage on it with an attack drone.

The SSO did not specify the type of attack drones utilized in this mission but indicated “that this is one of the latest developments that has entered the service of the Special Operations Forces.”

Earlier, a Ukrainian military officer, speaking anonymously to Kyiv Post, highlighted the recent trend of Ukrainian forces destroying Russian Buk anti-aircraft missile systems by using various attack systems, including aircraft-type UAVs, as depicted in the released video.

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Russian forces reportedly used two Shahed drones in the strike, which destroyed the entrance to a multi-story dormitory building.

“The result of the SSO’s successful work is the burning remains of scrapped Russian steel,” read the caption to the published footage.

The drone camera shows a Russian launcher for the Buk, then a Ukrainian aircraft-type drone flying into the launcher, followed by an explosion, fire, and clouds of thick smoke.

While the exact time and location of the video footage could not be independently verified by Kyiv Post, the damage inflicted on the Buk anti-aircraft missile complex launcher is evident despite the video’s low quality.

The Buk medium-range anti-aircraft missile system is designed for point defense, attempting to neutralize a variety of aerial threats, including strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, and helicopters.

Estimates suggest that the cost of the latest version of this air defense system, the Buk-M1-2, is approximately $100 million. However, it is challenging to determine which version of the Buk missile system was captured in the video and subsequently targeted. The SSO’s report didn’t provide clarification on the version either.

Kyiv Post previously covered preliminary reports of the Special Ops on the destruction of Russian Buks.

Earlier, Ukraine’s SSO discovered a Buk-M1 complex in the Sumy sector. Using attack drones, they ignited a fire in the Buk launcher, prompting Russian service members to attempt to extinguish it and salvage the equipment. The report indicated that the strike destroyed the launcher, which was carrying six missiles, and damaged the Buk-M1 system’s fire control unit.

Moreover, a report in early May detailed the targeting of two Buk anti-aircraft missile complexes by attack drones in the Sumy region.

At the end of April, the SSO had announced the destruction of a Russian Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile complex, thwarting its missile launch preparations.

The military officer who spoke to Kyiv Post suggested that these actions were part of a strategic effort to clear the border region of Sumy from Russian threats to Ukrainian aviation.

“Considering the approach of the transfer of the latest Western-made aircraft to the Ukrainian Air Force, it can be assumed that this is a targeted action to clear the airspace on the battlefield,” he told Kyiv Post.