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Ukraine Shows Rare S-300V1 Air Defense System Possibly Behind Russian Su Jets Shootdowns

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
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Ukraine Shows Rare S-300V1 Air Defense System Possibly Behind Russian Su Jets Shootdowns
Illustrative image. Ukrainian S-300V1 air defense system. (Photo: open source)

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense released a video, featuring a rarely seen S-300V1 air defense system—hinting that the long-range Soviet-era missile system may have been responsible for recent shootdowns of Russian Su-series aircraft, on May 11.

In a video, Ukrainian servicemen operating an S-300V1 system stated they have intercepted not only cruise missiles targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure but also Russian Su-type jets dropping precision-guided bombs on frontline cities and military positions.

The appearance of the S-300V1 in the video is notable, as it marks one of the few times this rare air defense platform has been acknowledged publicly by Ukrainian forces since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

While the video does not specify the exact incidents, it aligns with previous announcements. On August 14, 2024, and February 18, 2025, Ukraine’s Air Force reported shooting down Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers but withheld operational details. Another Su-34 was lost on October 12, 2024, during a glide bomb strike—an incident the Russian side has never explained.

The S-300V1, introduced into Soviet service in 1983, is a tracked, self-propelled air defense system built on a T-80 chassis. It can detect targets up to 300 kilometers away and engage up to 12 simultaneously.

The Ukrainian military has fielded it through its 210th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, reconstituted after the initial phase of Russian aggression in 2014.

9M83 surface-to-air air defense missile during the process of maintenance at the Ukrainian factory in 2018. (Source: National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine)
9M83 surface-to-air air defense missile during the process of maintenance at the Ukrainian factory in 2018. (Source: National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine)

This system is equipped with two missile types: the 9M82, which has a range of up to 100 kilometers and is capable of intercepting ballistic and high-speed aerial targets, and the rarer 9M83, optimized for aerodynamic targets at ranges up to 75 kilometers. Open-source footage suggests Ukraine is currently operating the 9M83 variant—an even rarer missile than the more common 5V55 used in the S-300PT/PS systems.

The S-300 family, known in NATO as the SA-10, remains one of the most capable medium-range air defense solutions from the Cold War era, built to counter aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic threats at altitudes from 25 meters up to 27 kilometers.

Earlier, reports emerged that Ukraine received at least eight units of the Raven short-range air defense system from the United Kingdom, with five more currently being prepared for delivery.

Designed to counter aerial threats such as Shahed-type drones, the system has conducted over 400 launches with a reported success rate of approximately 70%.

The Raven system was developed by the UK specifically for Ukraine in 2023, using a SupaCat HMT 600 vehicle chassis and AIM-132 ASRAAM air-to-air missiles adapted for surface launches.

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