Ukraine shows destruction of Russian Osa anti-aircraft system with FPV drone
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) unit Kryla ("Wings") destroyed a Russian air defense system Osa with a first-person view (FPV) drone, the agency said on Oct. 6.
A drone worth "several hundred dollars" was used to destroy an automated air defense system worth $10 million, the intelligence agency noted.
Developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s, the 9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko according to NATO terminology) is a highly mobile, short-range, low-altitude surface-to-air missile system still in use by Russia, Ukraine, and a dozen other countries.
HUR released a video showing footage of the FPV drone ramming into the Russian weapon system and then separate drone footage of the burning equipment.
The agency did not provide any further details, including when or where did the strike take place.
Russia has lost 970 air defense systems since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Ukrainian military said earlier on Oct. 6 before the military intelligence agency's announcement.
The Osa has been used with great effect by the Russian Armed Forces against Ukrainian drones, with some experts linking it to Ukraine scaling down the use of its once-popular Bayraktar drones.
The system functions as an all-in-one transporter erector launcher and radar (TELAR) vehicle that can detect and attack enemy targets independently.
Asami Terajima
