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Russia’s Buk-M3 Air Defense System Gets a Taste of “Vivaldi” as Ukrainian Drones Strike, Video
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Ukrainian drone operators from the Third Army Corps have struck a Russian Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system during an operation “Vivaldi.”
The Third Army Corps reported the strike on November 4, releasing video footage showing the Russian air defense system being targeted.
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According to the corps, the Buk-M3 was detected by personnel from the MURAMASA unit of the KRAKEN 21st Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade, who subsequently carried out the attack.
The operation targeted a Russian air defense asset used to counter aerial threats, including Ukrainian aircraft and strike drones operating near the frontline.
Disabling such systems reduces Russia’s ability to intercept Ukrainian aerial platforms and defend its positions against drone and aviation strikes, Third Army Corps added.
Одна з найсучасніших систем ППО росії БУК-М3 — уражено силами Трійки!
— Третій армійський корпус (@ab3army) November 4, 2026
Під час операції «Вівальді» Третього армійського корпусу оператори MURAMASA 21-го окремого полку безпілотних систем KRAKEN виявили і завдали удару по російському зенітному ракетному комплекс БУК-М3.
Це… pic.twitter.com/1pqy5KQ1ec
Introduced into Russian military service in 2016, the Buk-M3 is a modern medium-range surface-to-air missile system designed to operate within Russia’s layered air defense network. It can engage a range of aerial targets, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones, at distances of up to 70 kilometers (43 miles) and altitudes reaching 35 kilometers.
A key difference from earlier Buk variants is its use of sealed missile launch containers. Each launcher carries up to six missiles ready for deployment and can operate alongside specialized transport and reloading vehicles.
Operation “Vivaldi” was first publicly revealed on September 15. In the initial phases of the operation, Ukrainian forces regained control of several settlements near Lyman, including Shandryholove, Derylove, Nove, Ridkodub, and Katerynivka.
The operation has concluded with 277 square kilometers of territory recaptured and at least 8,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded, following a campaign involving drone-deployed combat robots, coordinated battlefield deception, and an offensive that weakened three Russian armies.
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The Buk-M3 strike comes amid continued Ukrainian efforts to target Russian air defense systems and other military infrastructure across temporarily occupied territories.
On November 3 and overnight into November 4, Ukrainian forces carried out additional strikes against several Russian military targets, including two Pantsir air defense systems in Russian-occupied Crimea, a drone command post in the Zaporizhzhia region, and a military logistics depot in the Luhansk region.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on November 4 that the strikes targeted a Pantsir-S2 surface-to-air missile and artillery system, along with another Pantsir air defense system in occupied Crimea.
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-47e070476a978ce456cf759154d1dc5d.jpg "Ukrainian servicemen of the rocket artillery battery of the 23rd Mechanized Brigade fire a BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system near the settlement of Pokrovske on May 24, 2026 in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine. (Source: Getty Images)")
