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Ukraine destroys Russian Buk air defense system, military says

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Ukraine destroys Russian Buk air defense system, military says
9A316M launcher of the Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system. Photo published on May 18, 2018. (Mil.ru/Wikipedia)

Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian Buk-M3 air defense system overnight on Oct. 21, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.

The operation was reportedly carried out by Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces together with other military units.

The Buk-M3 is the latest version of the Soviet-era Buk systems family. It is a medium-range system that can intercept aerial targets, including tactical ballistic missiles, at a range of up to 65 kilometers (40 miles).

The Russian anti-aircraft system was located around 60 kilometers from the front line, the General Staff said. The cost of such equipment is estimated at $40-50 million.

The statement did not specify the exact location of the targeted system.

Ukrainian forces have destroyed 979 Russian anti-aircraft systems throughout the full-scale war, the General Staff said in its regular morning report on Oct. 21.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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