Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Especially the destruction of a Buk-M3 system, valued at between $40 million and $50 million, is a significant blow to Putin’s forces.
The war in Ukraine has long been a battle in the skies, as the air above the soldiers buzzes with the sound of drones.
Russia launches thousands of drones at Ukraine every week, and Ukraine is using its own unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to fight off Russian attempts to advance.
Additionally, Ukraine has been wreaking havoc deep inside Russian territory, targeting logistics as well as Russian oil and gas infrastructure in an attempt to cripple the Russian war economy.
Part of this campaign involves targeting Russian air defence systems — and that is becoming increasingly expensive for Putin, as the Ukrainian drone forces have proven themselves highly skilled at this particular task.
A costly week
According to the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine, their forces were able to destroy Russian air defence and radar systems with a combined value of approximately $131 million in just one week.
Military leaders announced the successful operation on May 11. The drones specifically targeted radar and missile systems built to shoot down incoming aerial attacks.
“These are part of the systematic exhaustion of the enemy’s capabilities, where every precise strike reduces its combat potential and limits its ability to wage war,” the Ukrainian command stated.
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Piercing the shield
The drone teams completely wiped out several key pieces of the Russian defence network. That sudden loss creates a major operational headache for commanders trying to hold their ground.
One of the biggest targets was a Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system. Open-source estimates suggest that a single piece of equipment costs between $40 million and $50 million to produce.
The launcher is designed to hit targets flying miles high in the atmosphere. Taking it out of action opens up valuable new lanes for friendly aircraft.
Drone pilots also successfully eliminated a Tor-M2 unit. The Russian army relies heavily on this specific machine to shoot down low-flying cruise missiles and reconnaissance drones.
Blinding the radar
The operators went after more than just traditional missile launchers. They also completely destroyed a hybrid Tunguska vehicle.
That heavily armoured platform combines rapid-fire cannons with rockets to protect moving tank columns. It is a highly mobile threat. Now, it is permanently out of commission.
Perhaps most importantly, the drone forces destroyed a Kasta-2E2 radar station. Taking out the valuable surveillance equipment leaves the ground troops virtually blind to incoming low-altitude attacks.
This recent success follows a similar strike in the occupied Luhansk region. A precision attack recently eliminated another highly advanced Buk-M3 system deep behind the front lines.
Sources: Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine, United24Media
