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Ukrainian Lviv Brigade Uses German IRIS-T System to Shoot Down 7 Russian Missiles
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On June 13, the Lviv brigade of Ukraine’s Air Defense Forces reported the first operational use of the newly received German-made IRIS-T air defense system. During a missile strike, the unit intercepted and destroyed seven Russian cruise missiles in one engagement.
Previously, the unit primarily operated the Soviet-era S-300 system. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, they have destroyed 55 enemy cruise missiles and drones using the S-300, with a previous single-battle record of five aerial targets.
“During a large-scale missile and aviation strike, seven Russian cruise missiles entered our engagement zone. We took them down one by one,” said Vitalii, the commander of the unit.
The IRIS-T system allowed the unit to surpass its previous record in this engagement.
“This is a modern and accurate system that has earned the respect of our air defense teams,” Vitalii noted. “We expect to increase the total number of intercepted targets with it.”
The IRIS-T is a short-range air defense system developed in Germany to protect ground forces near front lines. It intercepts enemy aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs using an infrared homing missile designed to lock onto targets during the final phase of flight.
Previously, it was reported that a Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance unit from the “Chornyi Lis” Brigade spotted and helped direct a precision strike against a rare and powerful Russian self-propelled artillery system—the 2S7 Pion, as shown in a video, released by Ukraine’s Ground Forces.
