Illustrative image.
On April 1, the Russian Ministry of Defense released footage of a recent strike on an air-defense position of the Ukrainian military.
The pinpoint strike wiped out two transporter erector launchers (TELs) of the S-300 long range air-defense system. The TELs were likely of the 5P85D or 5P85S types, which are associated with Ukraine’s ageing S-300PS systems.
The air defense position, which was apparently detected by a drone, was likely struck by a heavy air-launched guided munition, a cruise missile or a tactical ballistic missile.
Ukraine restored several Soviet-made S-300PS, S-300PT and S-300V systems to service after 2014 in a bid to improve its air-defense capabilities. However, many of these systems were damaged, destroyed or captured in the first few weeks of the Russian special military operation in the country.
The Russian military has been working nonstop to hunt down Ukraine’s remaining air-defense systems, which still pose a real threat. The Russian MoD said that a Buk-M1 medium-range air-defense system and a guidance radar for an S-300 system were destroyed between March 31 and April 1.
Ukraine has lost more than 190 air-defense systems since the beginning of the Russian special military operation, according to the Russian MoD.
Aside from targeting Ukrainian air-defense systems, the Russian military has been also destroying air-defense and radars maintenance facilities as well as depots where anti-aircraft missiles are stored.
Ukraine’s allies in the West are currently working to bolster its air-defense capabilities in an attempt to deny Russia air superiority over the country.
