Ukraine Takes Out Russia’s $45 Million Buk-M3 Air Defense System

Ukraine’s Armed Forces successfully struck and destroyed a Russian Buk-M3 air defense system, the Ukrainian General Staff reported on February 25.

In addition to the Buk-M3, Ukrainian rocket and artillery forces also hit three areas where Russian troops, weapons, and military equipment were concentrated, as well as an enemy command post.

“Over the past day, the missile forces and artillery of the Armed Forces struck three areas of enemy troop and equipment concentration, a command post, and a Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system,” the General Staff stated.

The Buk-M3 is a medium-range air defense system that plays a critical role in protecting Russian ground forces from Ukrainian air attacks. It was adopted for military service in the Russian army in 2016. The system is capable of engaging targets beyond the front lines from deep in Russian-controlled territory.

One of the Buk-M3’s key upgrades compared to its predecessor, the Buk-M2, is the introduction of new sealed cylindrical launch containers for its missiles.

These advanced missiles can intercept aerodynamic targets at distances of up to 70 kilometers and altitudes of up to 35,000 meters, making the system a significant threat to Ukrainian aircraft.

The Buk-M3’s estimated cost is between $45 million, making its destruction a major financial and strategic loss for Russian forces.

Earlier, Ukrainian forces destroyed a rare Russian BAT-2 engineering vehicle.

The BAT-2 is a Soviet-era engineering vehicle built on the MT-T tractor chassis. Developed at the Kharkiv Machine-Building Design Bureau, it was produced in limited numbers. The BAT acronym stands for “Bulldozer on an Artillery Tractor.”