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Ukraine Punches Almost $100M Hole in Russian Air Defenses With Precision Drone Strikes, Video
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Operators from Ukraine’s 412th Nemesis Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces have carried out a successful strike against Russian air defense assets, destroying three surface-to-air missile systems in a single operation, the brigade reported on December 12.
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According to the unit, the strike was executed by fighters from the Asgard battalion and resulted in the confirmed destruction of two Tor-M1 short-range air defense systems and one Buk-M3 medium-range surface-to-air missile system.
“These complexes are critical for shielding Russian units from aerial strikes, and their loss significantly exposes enemy positions,” the brigade said in a statement.
Three air defense systems destroyed in one operation
The confirmed Russian losses include:
2 Tor-M1 short-range surface-to-air missile systems;
1 Buk-M3, one of the newest and most expensive air defense systems in Russia’s arsenal.
The operation underscores Ukraine’s continued focus on degrading Russian air defenses, a prerequisite for expanding the effectiveness of drone, missile, and aviation strikes along the front line.
Buk-M3: Russia’s high-end medium-range SAM
The Buk-M3 is one of Russia’s most capable medium-range surface-to-air missile systems. Designed to intercept aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and some ballistic threats, the system has an engagement range of up to 70 kilometers and can track and engage multiple targets simultaneously.
Western defense analysts estimate the cost of a single Buk-M3 system at approximately $45 million, factoring in the launcher, radar, command vehicle, and missiles. The Buk-M3 is typically used to provide layered air defense for key formations, logistics hubs, and command nodes, making its loss both tactically and financially significant.
Tor-M1: short-range shield against drones and missiles
The Tor-M1 is a short-range, highly mobile air defense system optimized to counter drones, guided munitions, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft. It is often deployed close to the front line to protect armored units and critical assets from precision strikes.
Tor-M1 variant is estimated to cost around $25 million per system. Destroying two such systems in a single operation further weakens Russia’s ability to counter Ukrainian UAVs and loitering munitions.
By eliminating both short- and medium-range air defense assets in one strike, Ukrainian drone operators effectively punched a hole in Russia’s layered air defense network.
Such losses increase the vulnerability of Russian units to follow-on attacks and force Moscow to redeploy scarce and costly air defense systems from other sectors.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) chief Vasyl Malyuk revealed new details about the state of Russia’s air defenses, saying nearly half of all Pantsir-S1 systems have been destroyed since the beginning of 2025.
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
