Ukraine’s Drones Hunt Down Russian Osa Air Defense System—and Strike It Twice, Video

Ukrainian drone operators struck a Russian Osa short-range air defense system twice on the Donbas front, according to footage released by the Signum Battalion of the 59th Assault Brigade of Unmanned Systems on October 8.

The video shows Ukrainian drones engaging the Russian surface-to-air missile system during a broader series of strikes against military equipment and logistics.

Signum operators highlighted the irony themselves, playing on the system’s name—Osa means “Wasp.”

“We ‘stung’ the Osa twice,” the battalion said.

The same footage shows Signum operators targeting Russian logistics across the Donbas, including pickup trucks, UAZ vans, cargo trucks, semitrailers, and other vehicles used to move troops, ammunition, and equipment.

The battalion said its crews routinely work against the routes Russian forces depend on to keep frontline units supplied, with the Osa becoming one of the more valuable targets caught during the latest operation.

The 9K33 Osa is a Soviet-designed mobile short-range air defense system developed beginning in 1960 and introduced into service in 1971. At the time, it was notable for combining its target-acquisition radar, tracking radar, and missiles on a single amphibious vehicle, allowing the system to operate without separate radar vehicles.

Built on the six-wheeled BAZ-5937 chassis, the Osa was designed to accompany ground forces and protect them from low-flying aircraft and other aerial threats. Its radar can detect targets at distances of roughly 30 kilometers, while later variants can engage targets at ranges of around 10 kilometers.

The system underwent several upgrades during its service life, including the Osa-AKM introduced in 1980, which brought improved tracking and enclosed missile canisters.

Earlier, Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian Pantsir-S2 air defense system using FP-2 strike drones, with footage showing the system burning before its ammunition detonated and tore the vehicle apart.

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