Ukraine destroys Russian Buk air defense system worth $45 million, military says
Ukrainian forces successfully detected and destroyed a state-of-the-art Russian Buk-M3 anti-aircraft missile system valued at $45 million, Ukraine's Land Forces reported on Oct. 26.
The Buk-M3 is one of Russia's key air defense assets, used to engage targets in the air, on the ground, and on the water.
Ukraine's "Black Forest" brigade struck the target at an unspecified location, the military said. The brigade shared video footage of the operation.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.
The Buk is a self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile system, first developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s. In the decades since, the Soviet Union and then Russia developed several upgraded versions.
The Buk-M3 is manufactured by Russia's Almaz-Antey defense company, and canreportedly track and engage up to 36 targets simultaneously. The system is designed to target planes, helicopters, cruise missiles, and drones.
The Buk gained worldwide infamy in 2014 with the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.
Ukraine has reported destroying Russian Buk systems in previous strikes. In September, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) reported a successful hit on a Buk-M3 in the Russian-occupied part Zaporizhzhia Oblast. In May, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces said they destroyed a Buk-M3 in an undisclosed front-line sector.
