The 15th Black Forest Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade has reportedly destroyed a battalion of the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile systems, according to Ukrainska Pravda. The destruction took place in the a, but the video of the damage has only been made public now.
The S-400 is a Russian anti-aircraft missile system designed to defend against air, ballistic missile, cruise missile, and drone attacks at long and medium distances. Introduced in 2007, it can hit targets up to 400 kilometers away, utilizing associated radars to detect, coordinate, and track those targets.
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According to the report, Kostiantyn, the commander of the unmanned aerial systems platoon in the 15th brigade, disclosed that while it was not difficult to locate the Russian S-400, hitting it posed challenges. He said that the S-400 is typically protected by several less powerful air defense systems designed to intercept reconnaissance drones.
The commander revealed they had a general understanding of potential gaps in the Russian defense but acknowledged the possibility of unrecognized electronic warfare systems that could interfere with their operations.
The first drone deployed to hunt down the S-400 was shot down by Russian forces. Kostiantyn said, “Sending the second drone was a foolish decision. If the first one was shot down, it indicates the enemy is actively engaged. They aren't likely to just sit back and relax.”
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 23, 2024
Despite this, the fighters launched a second drone, which successfully reached the S-400 system. “In certain areas, there are S-300s and S-400s that are constantly maneuvering. These systems were not ‘touched’ before and were far enough from the front line, leading the Russians to become relaxed,” Kostiantyn said.
He further explained that Russian troops typically keep separate launch and radar stations and command posts. “They got so careless that they clustered everything together. We looked at the screen and thought, ‘This can’t happen.’ So, we had no choice but to strike the entire battalion with one blow,” he added.
Kostiantyn mentioned that while the S-400 intercepted some missiles fired at it, others successfully struck the system. Russian troops did shoot down one inbound Ukrainian drone attacking the Russian missile system with a Pantsir anti-aircraft missile providing point defense for the complex.
“This story is not an isolated incident. We have destroyed not only the S-400 but also the S-300 and S-350,” Kostiantyn said.
The video captured by the drone, the location and time of which the Kyiv Post could not independently verify, shows the launch of missiles from the S-400 complex, which consists of four launchers and a command post. It then depicts two precise hits from cluster munitions at the moment of missile launch, leading to the destruction of four out of five vehicles and the detonation of the ammunition.
Footage also shows a surviving launcher that appears damaged and is on fire. Likely, Russian operators and support personnel stationed away from the launchers were hastily evacuating the area, presumably taking away the wounded.
Ukrainska Pravda reports that since the onset of the full-scale invasion, the 15th “Black Forest” Brigade has eliminated an entire anti-aircraft defense regiment of Russian forces, totaling 30 anti-aircraft vehicles.
Brigade commander Oleksandr Popov said, “I am pleased that these systems cannot be restored or reproduced, even within a year.”
He added, “It doesn’t matter how much these complexes cost. What matters is that restoring them is technologically challenging and time-consuming.”
Popov also mentioned that the brigade has destroyed both electronic warfare equipment and the latest radar systems. “We have even targeted developments from 2023 that have not yet entered production,” he added.
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, UAV pilots and drones were in short supply, limiting the artillery reconnaissance mission to controlling the contact line, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
However, by the summer of 2024, infantry units at the front had become saturated with their short-range reconnaissance drones, allowing the Black Forest pilots to focus on deeper strikes—30 kilometers (18.6 miles) and beyond—into Russian territory.
On the morning of August 3, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) carried out a major operation in temporarily occupied Crimea, successfully targeting a Russian Kilo-class submarine equipped to deploy Kalibr cruise missiles, along with four S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems.
The AFU’s General Staff reported that, in coordination with the Naval Forces, Ukrainian units damaged four Triumph air defense system launchers.
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